New London – At least three tenants in the former Mallove’s jewelry store building at 74 State St. were evacuated Sunday morning after the hollow metal overhang above the first floor partially collapsed. 

Tenant Mohammad Zaryab, who has lived in a second-floor apartment in the building for the past three years, opened his window when firetrucks and a Public Works Department pay loader arrived on State Street about 10:30 a.m. Sunday. 

Zaryab later said he was sleeping, but his neighbor told him he heard a loud “thud” about 9:30 a.m. When he looked down at the hollow, metal marquee from his window, he saw a “huge chunk of snow in there.” 

Assistant Building Official Rick Maurice condemned the building until the marquee either was removed or shored up. Maurice reached Joe Malerba of Malerba Holdings LLC, which owns the building, and said the owner was going to house the tenants at a hotel Sunday night. The Southeastern Connecticut Chapter of the American Red Cross assisted the tenants. 

Tenants were allowed to gather some belongings before being escorted out of the building by firefighters. No one was injured. 

The city Public Works Department erected orange barriers to block the sidewalk in front of the building. 

The building was condemned because the front entrance beneath the sagging marquee is the only accessible entrance to the building. The rear fire escape leads to a roof area and is not accessible for routine traffic, Maurice said. 

He said the owner has done extensive interior work in the building recently, is cooperating fully and will repair or remove the marquee. With two ladders perched against the building, workers started dismantling the overhang Sunday afternoon. 

Fire Battalion Commander Tom Curcio said someone driving by the building on State Street saw the sagging marquee and called the fire department. Curcio said metal rod supports appeared to have rusted away and might have given way with the weight of the snow and rain Saturday night.

c.bessette@theday.com

Twitter: @Bessettetheday