Concerns About Demolition Voiced Weeks Before Collapse

The City of Philadelphia was notified of potential unsafe demolition practices happening at the site of Wednesdays building collapse -- nearly a month before the deadly event.

Center City resident Stephen Field contacted the citys Philly311 helpline on May 6 to tell them he was concerned about a lack of safety equipment used by demolition workers and protection for pedestrians walking on the sidewalk below.

In an interview with NBC10.com late Wednesday night, Field, who lives near the collapse scene at 22nd and Market, said he routinely walked by the job site and was afraid the demolition site might be unsafe.

The first thing I noticed was they were working without safety equipment, he said. The was nothing resembling efforts to prevent people walking by from being hit with brick.

Field, who does not work in construction and does not have trade training, shared his email correspondence with Philly311 with NBC10.com. In his initial message, the 49-year-old highlighted his concerns to city officials.

The workers are not wearing any safety equipment (not even hardhats while working to demolish brick facades with crowbars). The sidewalk is not adequately protected, and there appears to be no adequate plan to prevent the collapse of walls or facing materials onto pedestrians and those exiting the subway, Field wrote in a message to the call center.

Licensing &inspection data shows contractor Griffin Campbell Construction was handing demolition at multiple adjacent properties along the 2100 block of Market Street -- 2132 Market Street, 2134 Market Street and 2136 Market Street, site of Wednesday's collapse. All three properties were either owned by or have ties to New York-based STBInvestments.

An unidentified representative replied to Field the next day, May 7, requesting the buildings proper address, type of work being done, who was doing the work and whether a valid permit was being displayed.

Field responded an hour later, providing the address of 2134 Market Street the property next to the sandwich shop and apartment building which collapsed Wednesday.

SkyForce10: Aerial Views of Building Collapse Site

Follow this link:
Concerns About Demolition Voiced Weeks Before Collapse