POLICE & FIRE

Wall collapse displaces three Mahopac families

Firefighters placed timber planks across the gap between the front entrance and stable ground.

Photos courtesy of MVFD

A basement cinder block wall collapsed inward, causing the building's front entry porch to sag several inches.

Photos courtesy of MVFD

The Building Department determined the structure was unsafe for occupancy and condemned the building.

Photos courtesy of MVFD

Posted Monday, July 20, 2026 3:23 pm

How to Help

A GoFundMe has been set up for the family and was well short of its $18,000 goal at the time of writing.

Organizer Kelly Whalen said her younger sister, Lisa, a lifelong Mahopac resident, and her husband, Tim, “had their lives turned upside down” by damage “so severe that their home was condemned, leaving them suddenly without a place to live.”

“As they face the uncertainty of whether their house can be repaired, they are left to navigate a maze of insurance claims and government agencies, all while trying to find a safe place to stay,” Whalen said. “The costs of temporary housing, urgent living expenses, and the potential repairs to stabilize their home are overwhelming, especially as they face this crisis with limited resources.”

Search “Help Lisa & Tim Rebuild After Home Collapse” at gofundme.com to find the fundraiser.

Three families were displaced Monday (July 6) after a basement wall collapsed at a multi-family apartment building on See Avenue in Mahopac, leaving the structure unsafe and prompting officials to condemn the property.

The Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department (MVFD) was dispatched at about 12:30 p.m. along with the Carmel Police Department on a report of a structural collapse.

Firefighters found that a front basement cinder block wall had collapsed inward, causing the building's front entry porch to sag several inches.

To safely evacuate the one resident who was in the building at the time and on the second floor, firefighters placed timber planks across the gap between the front entrance and stable ground.

The incident commander requested assistance from the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services, which dispatched the county’s Technical Rescue Team. The Westchester County Technical Rescue Team also responded to assist with the incident.

Following an inspection, the Carmel Building Department determined the structure was unsafe for occupancy and condemned the building.

The American Red Cross was called to provide emergency shelter assistance for the three families that occupied the building's three apartments.

No injuries were reported.

The property was turned back over to the owner, who will work with the Building Department on repairs and any steps necessary before the building can be reoccupied.

Article provided by MVFD