Vancouver Total Wine & More closed after roof partially collapses while store is open

Vancouver wine and alcohol mecca Total Wine & More near Vancouver Mall was forced to close after its roof partially collapsed Monday night.

The collapse, in the strip mall at 4816 N.E. Thurston Way, occurred while the store was open and staff were in the building. Kaiser Permanente Thurston Way Imaging Center next door is also closed because of the damage.

The Vancouver Fire Marshal ordered the store and clinic closed.

Crews working on a roofing project at the Vancouver Village strip mall stacked large amounts of construction materials on top of the building for an extended period, ultimately leading to the roof collapse, according to Sree Thirunagari, chief building official with the city of Vancouver

Thirunagari said it’s fortunate no one was injured in the incident.

“It could have easily gone the other way,” he said.

The Vancouver Fire Department learned about the collapse after the construction materials plummeted through the roof and set off fire sprinklers in the building.

The building suffered substantial structural damage, as well as damage to the electrical and fire suppression systems, Thirunagari said.

The building’s owner, Portland-based Menashe Properties, didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry about when the building might reopen. No damage estimate is available.

Thirunagari said the incident is a reminder to avoid placing weight on roofs.

“Roofs are not designed to take concentrated heavy loads,” he said.

Thirunagari is working with the building’s manager to ensure the building is repaired.

Total Wine & More opened in the 20,000-square-foot space in 2013 in what used to be a Big Lots store. Kaiser’s imaging center opened last summer. The strip mall is also home to Ross Dress for Less and a Mattress Factory Outlet, among other shops, which were not damaged.