OGDEN, Utah -- Blocks of cement are falling from the roof of a vacant building in Ogden, causing a major safety concern for people walking on the sidewalk below. However, the owners are yet to take responsibility and fix the problem.
"That instantly would do serious damage if not kill somebody I mean they are not little pebbles they are huge blocks," said Tosha Harris, pointing to the chunks of cement scattered across the sidewalk, some broken into pieces following the two story fall.
The blocks have been falling from the roof of the old Antique Emporium on Wall Avenue, which is now vacant.
"The property owners aren't doing anything about it, they have a responsibility to the people of Ogden," Harris said.
The city of Ogden invested their own time and resources installing a chain link fence around the property.
"It's a dangerous situation right now, our fear is that the building is in disrepair and is a safety hazard," said Mark Johnson, Ogden's Chief Administrative Officer.
The building is owned by W.Y.L Orion Properties LLC out of San Francisco. On Thursday the city sent the company a letter, giving them 15 days to come up with a plan, or else legal action could be taken.
"The owner is out of town, we don't have a phone number. We don't have an email address to connect with them," Johnson said. "The local agent said he's been talking to him but he refused to give us a phone number or email address but we've been communicating with him."
Many people say closing down the sidewalk is just a temporary solution because all it's doing is pushing pedestrians closer to a very busy Wall Avenue.
"I think the owners should really do more about it, put money into it or let the city take over," said Ogden resident Victor Gulure.
Like many residents, Gulure walks past the crumbling building everyday on his way to the Ogden Transit center, which is right across the street.
Fox 13 reached out to the building owner, W.Y.L Orion, as well as their local representative, but did not receive a response.
"Obviously they don't care otherwise the city would not have had to tell them to fix it," Harris said.
