Morton Grove Board praises first responders after support-column collapse forces building evacuation

The Village President said a support-column failure at 5935 Lincoln Avenue over the weekend led to the evacuation of 28 units and prompted an immediate multiagency response. "Thankfully and most importantly, there were no injuries," the President said, adding that police, fire and building department personnel evacuated residents — in some cases via balconies — and stabilized the structure for engineering assessment.

Village staff said structural engineers inspected the building the following day to determine the extent of damage and to evaluate other similar buildings in the village. "Staff will be inspecting similar buildings throughout the village to determine if there are any signs of deterioration or damage to support columns and work with property owners to address any issues or concerns," the President said, describing a planned follow-up by the village.

Officials identified several local partners that stepped in to help displaced residents. The President thanked Rightway Rescue, Niles Township, the Morton Grove Foundation and the American Red Cross; the Morton Grove Foundation donated $20,000 specifically for the impacted residents, the President said. Village staff said pets were also evacuated and temporarily sheltered by local partners.

The board did not take any formal policy action at the meeting but emphasized follow-up steps: a village-led inspection sweep of buildings with similar construction and coordination with property owners and community partners to identify immediate needs for residents displaced by the incident. The President encouraged donations to the American Red Cross marked for the Morton Grove Lincoln Avenue building to support affected families.

Next steps: village staff will complete inspections of comparable buildings and report back to the board; no timeline for full repairs or re-occupancy of the Lincoln Avenue building was provided at the meeting.