I tried to get into the old Galleria near Lebanon and the floor gave way

Went exploring last weekend at the Galleria that's been closed since 2018. Found a side door that was already open. Made it about 20 feet into the food court before a chunk of tile cracked and I dropped into a drainage pit up to my hip. Scraped my leg up pretty bad. Learned that just because a place looks dry doesn't mean the subfloor is solid. Anyone else almost get hurt by something you didn't see coming?

2 comments

2 Comments

piperwhite14d ago

Old buildings always look stable until they aren't. The water gets in under the tiles and rots the wood underneath so you can't tell just by looking. Next time take a long metal rod or a heavy stick and test the floor ahead of you before putting your full weight down. A couple of firm taps will show you where the hollow spots are. Also wear boots that cover your ankles in case you drop through again. Getting out of those pits is harder than falling in.

laura_black3114d ago

And that's exactly what happened to me at an old warehouse outside of Nashville. I thought the concrete floor looked fine, but I stepped on a spot that was just a thin crust over a basement pit. Went down like a trap door, broke my flashlight and twisted my ankle getting out. @piperwhite is absolutely right about testing ahead, I wish I'd had that advice before I ended up with a sprain and a busted phone. The corrosion underneath is always way worse than the top layer looks, especially in places that have been sealed up with moisture trapped inside.