Truck Smashes Into Greenpoint Building, Forces Locals From Homes

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN — Residents in a three-story building were displaced early Tuesday morning after a box truck collided with the front of their home, officials said.

FDNY said they were called just after 3 a.m. to the three-story residential building at 165 Russell Street. When crews arrived, they found that a box truck had come in contact with the building, but not gone through any walls.

"Like a cartoon where Wile Coyote runs and goes through the wall? No, nothing like that," one FDNY official said.

There were no reported injuries from the scene and FDNY left around 3:50 a.m. after passing the case on to the Department of Buildings to inspect the home.

Residents told reporters that it felt like the whole home shook when the collision happened.

“We were sleeping, the whole house shook and wake us up,” Lorraine Kenny told NBC New York. "I lived in California I’ve been through earthquakes so it kind of felt a little bit like that."

Inspectors found that the box truck had crashed into the stairs at the front entrance of the building, a DOB spokesperson said. The residents were ordered to vacate the building because the damaged stairs had created a "compromised egress."

Tenants were offered relocation assistance by the American Red Cross. DOB officials did not immediately answer how many residents were affected, but said they would be allowed back in the building once the stairs are repaired.

"The building is structurally sound," the spokesperson said. "The vacate order was issued because one of the exits is compromised due to the damaged front stairs. Once the stairs are repaired the vacate order can be lifted."

Photo and video provided by Citizen NYC.