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3-story home collapses in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood

Cleanup efforts are underway after a partial building collapse in Philadelphia's Germantown neighborhood Wednesday afternoon.

Officials told CBS News Philadelphia that the building at 175 Hansberry Street has a history of violations and failed inspections. Last week, investigators deemed it unsafe. The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections found at least three violations at the home over the past four years. The building has also failed inspections at least six times, records show.

L&I deemed the building — a vacant, standalone house — imminently dangerous last week, giving the owner until Friday to take action to fix it.

Fire crews responded to the collapse shortly before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, dispatch said.

Chopper 3 was over the scene Wednesday afternoon, when firefighters were working outside of the house.

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CBS News Philadelphia

Crews worked to clean up debris left over from the collapse. Debris that spilled onto the sidewalk and street has since been moved into the front yard. Cleanup crews set up temporary fencing to block off the area.

A spokesperson for L&I said no injuries were reported. Utilities were shut off at the house and nearby properties were not affected, the spokesperson said.

Officials have scheduled a curbside demolition bid for Thursday.

Tawanda Jenkins, who lives across the street from the home, described what the collapse sounded and looked like immediately after. She said she believed the house was abandoned, but that has not been confirmed yet by officials. Other neighbors also said the house had been abandoned.

"It was like a loud boom. Like somebody was taking equipment and started hitting at the building," Jenkins told CBS News Philadelphia. "When I came out, I saw this whole building on the ground. My whole reaction was wow. It's sad, it was bound to happen. … The house was abandoned. The roof was kind of curved in."

The neighbor said she never saw anyone inside the home, except raccoons.

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