What type of collapse is characterized by an entire section of a building falling while the rest remains intact?

The term "partial collapse" specifically describes a situation where only a section of a building fails, while the rest of the structure remains standing. This can occur due to localized damage caused by factors such as fire, structural instability, or failure of specific elements of the building, such as beams or columns.

In scenarios involving partial collapse, it's common for the integrity of surrounding areas to stay intact, which differentiates it clearly from a global collapse, where the entire structure comes down, or a cascading collapse, which often involves successive failures leading to a broader collapse. Localized collapse might suggest damage to a particular part but implies a broader or more significant failure than is meant by "partial collapse." Thus, the distinction lies in the scale and impact of the structural failure, with partial collapse indicating a more limited and contained event.