Mobile Civic Center’s roof collapses after historic snowfall ahead of demolition

After a historic snowfall in south Alabama, the Mobile Civic Center’s roof collapsed Wednesday from the weight of the snow, the city announced.

“Earlier this morning, the roof of the Mobile Civic Center collapsed under the weight of excessive snow,” the city said in a Facebook post.

“The collapse occurred in a manner that was consistent with the plans for the ongoing demolition of the building. Fortunately, there were no injuries and the mosaic paintings were undamaged.”

The roof collapse comes as the city was already in the process of demolishing the structure, which is over 60 years old.

The plan is to redevelop the facility into a $300 million entertainment arena by 2027. Construction is expected to begin sometime around March 12.

Mobile received 7.5 inches of snow on Tuesday, breaking its all-time snow record that had stood since 1895.

Hank Carter wrote on Facebook that he heard the roof collapse and used his drone to take pictures and video of the aftermath.