Part of Broadway building's roof falls, smashes window

Renovations of a more than 100-year-old building caused part of its roof to fall off Wednesday afternoon and busted the window of a nearby candy shop.

Construction equipment bumped the top of the building in the 300 block of Broadway, and several rows of brick tumbled into the alley, said Metro police Sgt. Mark Byrne. The bricks shattered one of the windows at Savannah's Candy Kitchen, which sits across the alley from the building under construction.

The collapse was reported at about 4 p.m., and the construction workers were already out of the building when the Nashville Fire Department arrived on scene, said Fire Commander Charles Shannon. No one was injured.

Firefighters used a ladder truck to remove extra materials from the roof that may have fallen in as well, said fire department spokesman Brian Haas.

PSG Construction of Atlanta is overseeing the project and did not immediately return a request for comment. The building is expected to become a multiple story bar and restaurant.

The property, built in about 1910, was sold to Atlanta-based TAC Broadway in September 2014 for $5 million, according to the Davidson County property assessor.

The incident closed part of Broadway near the building until the structural engineer assessed the integrity of the building and determined whether it was safe for construction to resume, Shannon said.

The falling brick closed Savannah's Candy Kitchen, making it difficult for driver Michael Roberson with R & L Carriers to deliver supplies to the candy shop.

Morgan Kyle heard the collapse while sitting in his office at the downtown Tin Roof located next door to the building undergoing renovations. Kyle, the Tin Roof's regional manager, said the noise sounded like a train wreck and could be heard over the live band playing in the bar.

"It was super loud," Kyle said.

He closed the Tin Roof's upstairs patio, but the Jacob Reynolds Band continued to play downstairs.

Officers and firefighters continued to monitor the building cordoned off with police tape and kept Broadway tourists at a safe distance from the scene.

Karen Kraft and Nate Rau contributed to this report.

Reach Holly Meyer at 615-259-8241 and on Twitter @HollyAMeyer.