Collapsed KC Family Dollar was missing concrete pillar car crash took out years ago
A car crash nearly nine years ago at the Family Dollar store in Midtown Kansas City — where one person was killed Sunday when the building partially collapsed — may have caused damage that compromised the structure.
The crash occurred when a driver heading south on Broadway Boulevard lost control near 37th Street and hit a pillar in front of the store, then struck the store, according to an Oct. 10, 2016, story posted on KMBC, Channel 9’s website. The driver was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, it said.
A photo of the scene showed the vehicle up against the store’s entrance. A pillar that previous photos showed was supporting the front corner of the building was missing, apparently knocked down in the crash. Subsequent photos of the building over the years indicate that the pillar was not replaced.
City records don’t show any construction permits or plans filed at the business’s address following the crash.
In a written statement, city officials said the building owners were responsible for repairs after the building was damaged in a 2016 car crash.
“We are still trying to understand why the property owners did not apply for a permit with City Planning and Development to repair the building after it was struck by a car in 2016,” the statement read. “Ultimately, the responsibility for the structural integrity and safety of a building lies with its property owner and manager.”
The Kansas City Fire Department responded to the store in the 3700 block of Broadway Boulevard just after 2:45 p.m. Sunday. When crews arrived, they discovered that part of the front facade of the building had collapsed.
Larry Banks, of Kansas City, was buried under the rubble and didn’t survive. Three others were injured. One was taken to a hospital in serious condition, and the other two were treated at the scene but refused further medical attention, according to a fire department spokesman.
The Kansas City Police Department is investigating the collapse, which is standard protocol when a fatality has occurred.
City records for the business, including inspections and code violations, are listed under both 3726 and 3736 Broadway Blvd.
The Star’s Chris Higgins contributed reporting to this story.
This story was originally published July 28, 2025 at 12:18 PM.
