NEW LONDON, Conn. — After almost a week since the steeple and roof collapsed of a historic church in New London, clean up continues. Officials were able to provide an update on Monday evening after it was determined a total loss on Friday.
Mayor Michael Passaro said that a lesson to take away is looking around for historic structures and ensuring they are being preserved in order to pass them on to future generations.
"The goal would be to preserve what we can," Passaro said when speaking of the collapsed church.
Officials are working to determine the level of contamination and then remediate it. While there is no indication of any contaminants on the scene, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) will consider the site to be contaminated until proven otherwise, officials said.
"This is probably one of the most significant structures not only in new London but in Connecticut," said Passaro.
There is a continuing concern about the remainder of the structure. Officials continue to try to preserve what they can.
The church on Union Street collapsed at around 1:30 p.m. Thursday. Security camera footage showed the steeple of the church falling, followed by a plume of dust and debris.
The former First Congregational Church stood since 1850.
The last artifact to pull from the church is a crucifix that officials will attempt to recover, according to Passaro.
Passaro said after initial investigations into the structure, the remainder of the church needed to be demolished last week.
No deaths or injuries were reported. However, a woman was in the building at the time of the collapse but was able to get out safely.
The cause of the collapse is not yet known.
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