As a result of the fire last week at the Pioneer Building at 505-514 Francis Street, an emergency demolition has been ordered by the city of St. Joseph. City officials say that only then can the investigation begin into the cause of the fire.

The property owner will have ten business days to take down the building and get a structural engineer to render the area safe for entry.

A City of St. Joseph news release says that during this period “…the roadways will remain closed and necessary measures taken to safely access the adjacent businesses.”

“At the conclusion of the ten-day period, which will be 1pm, December 15, 2016, one lane each of Francis Street and 5th Street will reopen to vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the adjacent businesses fully accessible to the general public,” according to the news release.

“Once the area is safe for entry on December 15, the investigation into the cause of the fire will commence.”