AUBURN - A small congregation stood in a circle on a South Street sidewalk, holding hands while praising Jesus and singing.

An hour before, just as the Sunday noon service wasbeginning, part of the ceiling collapsed in the back of the Soul Healing Ministries building.

“We heard a rumbling, and we saw the dust,” the Rev. Chester Seals said. The pastor likened the dust cloud to images of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks when the Twin Towers fell.

An orange sign hangs on the door of the small store-front church, 10 South St., showing the Auburn Code Enforcement office deemed the property unfit for occupation until the owner's architect can inspect and repair the ceiling.

The Auburn Fire Department responded and blocked off South Street, between Loop Road and Genesee Street, for less than an hour. No injuries were reported.

Building owner Tony Piccolo blamed the cave-in on damage from efforts to douse

a fire years ago, but said the problem is confined to a small area. After the 1999 fire, he replaced the first and third floor, but didn't think the second floor needed work.

“We're hoping it will get repaired and we can go back in,” Seals said.

This wish likely will come true, Piccolo said. Seals's congregation has rented the space for three or four years.

Piccolo estimated the building is 80 years old. No tenants lived above the ministry.

Seals and other church members heard crackling sounds before the ceiling fell, but attributed the noises to birds, Seals said.

“We didn't look, we just got out,” Seals said.

Two people were standing in the back area, which contains the kitchen area, the bathrooms and the office, minutes before the cave-in, he said.

“That's a miracle - that no one was under there,” visitor Marie Spinosa said.

Staff writer Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext 267 or jessica.soule@lee.net