What type of collapse happens when multiple floors of ceilings collapse leaving one load bearing wall to handle the weight?

• A. Frame
• B. Lean-To Collapse
• C. V-Shape
• D. Cantilever Collapse

Answer: (D)

When multiple floors give way but a single load-bearing wall remains to carry the weight, the wall acts like the structural anchor that must support the entire upper structure. That creates a cantilever effect, where the wall is effectively spanning and carrying the load from above on its own. The weight concentrates on that wall, and it can buckle or fail at connections or at the base as the load exceeds what the wall can safely carry. This pattern—one wall bearing the weight of the remaining floors—is the hallmark of cantilever collapse.