Updated: High winds bring Manassas building collapse, brush fires in Stafford

Update 11:20 p.m.

A total of 14 people were evacuated from nearby apartments in Downtown Manassas near the scene of the partial building collapse on Battle Street.

City spookeswoman Patty Prince said the evacuation was precautionary and that no one was hurt when a portion of a brick building gave way in the face of high winds. No one was injured. 

Original post 

A portion of a building collapsed this evening in Downtown Manassas.

A building on Battle Street, next to the old Washington Post offices, now The Bone restaurant, and near the Sidewalk Café, lost a portion of its roof, according to initial reports.

Winds gusting upward of 4o mph Saturday evening were to the blame for the partial collapse, according to a source. The portion of the building affected was unoccupied and no one was injured, according to a source. 

Manassas fire crews posted that responded to the scene posted photos.

High winds also wreaked havoc on area roads. An SUV traveling in the Hillendale section of Dale City overturned, according to sources. We don’t know if anyone was injured in the crash. 

In Stafford County, high winds caused a transformer to blow darkening a portion of Route 610. A brush fire also broke out in the area of Mount Hope Road and was later extinguished. 

Brush fire Susies Lane in Stafford, Virginia was wind-driven, caused by blown transformer. Powerline still down. .@DomVAPower .@PotomacLocal

— That Reporter KJ (@KJMushung) February 15, 2015

.@PotomacLocal .@StaffordLocal .@SCFR Wind in Stafford, Virginia is currently blowing at 34mph with gusts of 44mph, per @weatherchannel

— That Reporter KJ (@KJMushung) February 15, 2015

Trees across roads in #Stafford: 225 Bells Hill Rd, +Hartwood/Hartwood Church; Brooke Rd/Bexley Ln; 36 Jordan Rd .@PotomacLocal .@Fxbg2day

— That Reporter KJ (@KJMushung) February 15, 2015

All of the incidents come as the National Weather Service issued a high wind warning, as well as warned drivers of hazerdous driving conditions. 

Drivers on Interstate 95 tonight saw blowing leaves, and the high winds made it difficult to keep cars in the lane.

Here’s more from the National Weather Service: 

.HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO
2 PM EST SUNDAY...

* TIMING...NORTHWEST WINDS WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE BEHIND A STRONG
  COLD FRONT THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH MIDDAY SUNDAY.

* WINDS...NORTHWEST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH.

* IMPACTS...DOWNED TREES AND POWERLINES MAY RESULT IN POWER
  OUTAGES. MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WILL BE POSSIBLE. DRIVING
  HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES IN THESE CONDITIONS WILL BE DANGEROUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A HIGH WIND WARNING MEANS A DAMAGING WIND EVENT IS EXPECTED.
SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR MORE
WILL CAUSE TREE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE.  ANTICIPATE POWER OUTAGES.
IF YOU LIVE NEAR LARGE TREES... REMAIN IN A LOWER LEVEL OF YOUR
HOME OR SEEK SHELTER ELSEWHERE IF POSSIBLE.