The building, located at 449 Main St., which used to be the old Five and 10, has been a topic of discussion with the Wellsville Village Council for some time due to its derelict and unsafe condition before the collapse. It has been empty and in bad shape for years.

Village administration has been unsuccessful in their attempts to contact the owner, Angelo Flint, ADCD Lease LLC in Flint, Michigan, who purchased the building online several years ago and has yet to do anything with it.

Due to the safety hazards the building poses, Wellsville Village Council will meet in a special session on March 10 at 6 p.m., to discuss the village paying to have the building torn down.

Mayor Bob Boley said it would cost the village at least $100,000, which would have to come from the General Fund, to have the building torn down. He also noted that it would probably be a lot more costly for the village to do nothing if someone ended up injured or it caused more damage.

A portion of Main Street in Wellsville has been closed due to a building collapse in the 400 block Saturday. (Submitted photo)

Wellsville Fire Department responded with Highlandtown Volunteer Fire Department providing mutual aid for additional manpower and East Palestine Fire Department was requested for drone services so an aerial view of the building could be obtained.

The building collapsed at 10:30 a.m.

Wellsville Fire Chief Barry Podwel said the outside wall of the building on the downtown side collapsed onto the building located at 455 Main St., where Allison Tax Accounting is located. The building is owned by Allan Owens.

The roof came down off the building at 449 Main St., and blew out the back half of the building located at 455 Main St.

Podwel noted that he believes that the building is now completely totaled and will probably have to be torn down.

A portion of Main Street in Wellsville has been closed due to a building collapse in the 400 block Saturday. (Submitted photo)

He also said that the collapsed building is starting to bulge out toward Main Street.

Firefighters were on scene until about 4 p.m. roping off the area.

There are two addresses for that building – 449 and 447 Main Street, with 449 being the one council has been discussing trying to get torn down and the one that collapsed. The building at 447 Main Street is owned by JC and Christy Colter and will now probably have to be torn down as well. There was no damage done to their part of the building, but with it been part of the large building, the whole unit will have to come down, Podwel said.

Boley has called in Kevin Kerr, Kerr Construction, who brought in equipment to demolish the remainder of the building if council gives the approval for that.

Kerr will be ready to demolish the building after contacting the utility companies and getting approval from council.

A portion of Main Street in Wellsville has been closed due to a building collapse in the 400 block Saturday. (Submitted photo)