An enclosed mall in Duluth, Minnesota, remains closed after a partial roof collapse earlier this week, according to a variety of published reports. The owner of the 832,00-square foot Miller Hill Mall said it’s “temporarily closed until further notice” on Wednesday, following a roof collapse on Tuesday.
The mall was evacuated around 9:30 a.m. that day after a snow-covered section of the roof collapsed near the Applebee’s restaurant and Express store near the center of the mall, sending a huge pile of snow and debris into the 50-year-old shopping complex. (The Duluth News Tribune reported that this has been the sixth-snowiest winter in the city’s recorded history, with 121.3 inches of accumulation thus far.)
Duluth’s Fire Chief told news station WDIO a crew was clearing snow off the roof that morning but got off when they heard “some popping noises.” The mall itself was not yet open when the collapse happened, but there were workers inside the structure.
Mall owner Simon Property Group (Indianapolis) issued the following statement to Bring Me The News Minnesota: “We are grateful there were no injuries as result of a portion of the roof collapsing and for the swift actions of the first responders … We are diligently working on a phased opening plan. We will share an update on our website when the property is reopened.”
As of Friday, no updates had appeared on the mall’s website. Its 94 tenants include JCPenney, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Barnes & Noble, several restaurants, a food court, a local government agency and a healthcare provider.