A house collapsed on the 300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Raleigh Wednesday afternoon.
The City of Raleigh confirmed that the house was under construction when it fell. No one was in the house when it happened, and there were no reported injuries.
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“I heard my house shake. Then, I heard a big boom, like a bomb going off,” said neighbor Valerie McClain.
Part of the collapsed house fell on hers. However, there is no visible damage to McClain’s home. She said her insurance will also double check.
Sky 5 flew over the house that collapsed within itself. Video footage showed some construction work and materials behind the house.
When the house first collapsed, one wall still stood. However, at about 1:40 p.m., that wall also fell, leaving the scene of the house completely brought down.
Fire crews said the contractor was trying to preserve the wall bearings of the house.
Inspectors and the fire marshal will take a look at the house, but fire crews believe the house needs to be completely demolished.
Neighbors tell WRAL the home was being renovated for the past several months.
“I knew the house was old…It just didn’t make sure that they were building onto an old foundation to begin with,” Nicole Sullivan said.
According to Wake County records, the first deed of the home was signed in 1936. Most recently, a real estate company bought the home at the beginning of 2025.
WRAL reached out to the property owner. We didn’t immediately hear back.
Sullivan said she hopes to see the destroyed home replaced with a new, affordable home.
“We always can use housing, maybe it’ll be affordable. A lot of areas downtown are becoming not affordable for people,” she said. “We don’t need anymore vacant lots.”
