Wall Collapse at Augusta Civic Center in Maine Shakes Monmouth Team Before Title Win

A scary moment unfolded Saturday, March 1, at the Augusta Civic Center just before the Class D boys basketball state championship in Maine.

According to the Kennebec Journal, players from Monmouth Academy were getting ready in the locker room ahead of their title game against Machias when a non-load-bearing wall suddenly collapsed inside the bathroom area, bringing down part of the ceiling.

Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. One player, who had been stretching against the wall when it collapsed, suffered only minor scrapes, the newspaper stated.

The team was briefly moved to another area of the Civic Center while officials assessed the situation and filed a police report. At one point, organizers even discussed delaying the remaining championship games, but officials ultimately determined the building was safe, the KJ reported.

After about an hour, Monmouth returned to the court and finished the job. The Mustangs defeated Machias 51–41, capturing their second Class D state title in three years.

City officials later said the wall collapse likely happened because the original construction did not include the metal reinforcement that would be required under modern building codes, according to the KJ.

The newspaper reported that the Augusta Civic Center was built in the early 1970s and has been facing growing maintenance concerns.

City leaders have previously discussed a full renovation of the building, which could cost more than $33 million, according to the KJ.