Roof collapses at Merriweather Post Pavilion

The roof at Merriweather Post Pavilion came crashing down on Friday night amid a months-long renovation project.

The Howard County music venue issued a statement on social media Saturday saying the roof "was being hydraulically lifted 20 feet over a period of months. The roof was in its near-final position and the next anticipated step was to secure it permanently. However, at around 2:30 this morning, the roof unexpectedly fell."

Merriweather says fortunately, no one was hurt, and are working to find out what cause the collapse. They also said they plan on continuing with renovations -- this time with a new roof and will be ready for the 2018 concert season.

Radio DJ Steve Ash, with 100.7 The Bay in Baltimore posted close-up photos of the collapse on Facebook.

Merriweather says fortunately, no one was hurt, and the venue plans on continuing with renovations -- this time with a new roof and will be ready for the 2018 concert season.

Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission issued a statement saying "until a complete investigation has been completed, the precise cause of this accident cannot be known. That investigation is commencing as soon as possible, and in the meantime, the team at Merriweather will begin assessing next steps for the project."

The venue has been working on several renovations as part of a five-year, $55 million renovation project -- which has included a new box office, a stage expansion, and a redone backstage area with a pool for visiting artists on tour.