A restaurant roof collapse in Castleberry Hill led to a frenzied aftermath Monday night -- and now, investigators are still trying to figure out what happened.
About 40 percent of the roof caved in at the Blu Cantina Restaurant and Lounge on Peters Street, according to authorities.
11Alive News drone footage taken Tuesday afternoon shows the gaping hole in the roof of the building, and the debris that has fallen into the restaurant and lounge area.
Folks inside say it is unbelievable they made it out, but they are grateful to be alive. Jaha Williams is one of them.
"We heard a lot of 'Boom! Boom! Boom!' At first we thought everyone was shooting," she said. "Then we heard everyone say ' Get down! Get down! But next thing you know, everyone was on the floor and the roof just caved in!"
Williams was with friends at Blu Cantina, and not expecting that to happen.
In fact, she said, no one was - until one of the 30 or so customers inside yelled for everyone to get safely outside. (Hear from the man who yelled for customers to get out)
That customer ended up at Grady Memorial Hospital in downtown Atlanta with a head injury.
PHOTOS | The day after the roof collapse
"Pieces were falling," Williams said. "And when the roof caved in, a lot of water came in, and a lot of people had to swim out -- and it was just a bad situation to be in, because you were getting trampled and everything."
The collapse happened during a driving rainstorm Monday evening.
The businesses on either side of the restaurant have been closed, pending a safety inspection.
There's no word on the cause of what made the roof collapse, but Atlanta Fire investigators say it may have been weather related. Atlanta city building inspectors were at the location during the day on Tuesday.
The owners of Blu Cantina released a statement late Tuesday afternoon, noting that they are closed until further notice as a result of the collapse. The statement continues:
The safety of our patrons and staff is our first and foremost priority. At the time this event took place we immediately contacted local emergency response officials. With support from City of Atlanta Fire Rescue and Police Department, all patrons and staff were evacuated. Those injured were assisted or transported for treatment. We are currently working closely with our property owner to identify the source of the collapse.For more than four years we have proudly served as Castleberry Hill’s ultimate casual dining destination, for Atlantans and tourists alike. While this type of incident is rare, we are committed to establishing a safe and enjoyable environment for our customers and staff.
