Retaining wall collapses on 3-year-old boy

A RETAINING WALL COLLAPSES ON A LITTLE BOY-- AND THE INCIDENT HAS OMAHA CODE ENFORCEMENT REVIEWING INSPECTION RECORDS ON A MIDTOWN APARTMENT BUILDING. I-TEAM INVESTIGATOR KRISTYNA ENGDAHL REPORTS, CITY INSPECTORS PUT THE LANDLORD ON NOTICE ABOUT THAT WALL-- TWO YEARS AGO. HE HAS A BROKEN FOOT... AND SOME SCRAPES AND BUMPS.(AJ cries into mom's shoulder--) A BRICK WALL FELL ON THREE- YEAR OLD A-J EISENAUER.(Ashlee Hoefling: He was about right here when we started pulling bricks off of him.) A-J'S MOM ASHLEE HOEFLING SAYS SHE WAS SITTING ON THE STEPS NEARBY MONDAY NIGHT. THAT'S WHEN THE SIX-FOOT HIGH RETAINING WALL ON HER PORCH COLLAPSED ON HER SON.(Ashlee Hoefling: He was bleeding all over, screaming. We tried to rush him to the car, calm him down.) TWO LAYERS OF BRICK GAVE-WAY OUTSIDE THE APARTMENT BUILDING AT 36-63 DAVENPORT. ONCE A-J WAS CARED FOR, A NEIGHBOR SNAPPED THIS PHOTO OF COLLAPSED WALL-- IT'S NOT THE ONLY PHOTO OF THE WALL WE FOUND. OMAHA'S CODE ENFORCEMENT MANAGER HAS A FEW IN HIS FILES, TOO IN APRIL..INSPECTORS TOOK THIS PICTURE. SHOWING THAT BRICK WALL, CRACKING ..FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.(Kevin Denker/Code Enforcement Manager: There's notes in the file that yes, we were concerned about that wall, water getting in behind the wall.) KEVIN DENKER SHOWS US THE FILE ON THE BUILDING AT 36-63 DAVENPORT. IN 2-THOUSAND-11, CITY INSPECTORS ISSUED A NOTICE OF VIOLATION ON THE PROPERTY-- WHICH INCLUDED CONCERNS ABOUT THE RETAINING WALL. AN INSPECTOR NOTED "MANY PROBLEMS" WITH THE FRONT PORCH. SINCE THEN, CITY INSPECTORS HAVE HAD REGULAR CONTACT WITH LANDLORD ALAN FLAGG.(Kevin Denker: The owner has been trying to work with our office and make repairs and he's been meeting with the inspector fairly regularly.) THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S ACTION REPORT ON THE PROPERTY LISTS 19 ENTRIES-- NOTING THE REPAIRS FLAGG HAS MADE, AND THE RE-INSPECTIONS OUTLINING PROBLEMS THAT STILL NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED. AS RECENTLY AS JUNE 18TH-- INSPECTORS TOLD FLAGG HE NEEDED A PERMIT TO REPLACE THE EAST LANDING ON THE PROPERTY. ACCORDING TO THE CITY INSPECTOR'S REPORT, LANDLORD ALAN FLAGG TRIED TO PATCH THESE HOLES IN THE PATIO. THAT'S WHERE THE WALL COLLAPSED.(kevin Denker: hearing somebody got hurt that's the last thing we ever want to happen)(KNOCKING ON DOOR--) WE WENT TO LANDLORD ALAN FLAGG TO HEAR WHAT KIND OF WORK HE'S BEEN DOING ON THE PROPERTY. BUT NO ONE ANSWERED THE DOOR AT HIS HOME. WE -DID- REACH ALAN FLAGG BY PHONE, BUT HE DECLINED TO ANSWER ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS. CITY CODE ENFORCEMENT TELLS ME IT HAS ITS 'OWN' QUESTIONS-- INCLUDING WHETHER IT CAN CONTINUE TO LET PEOPLE LIVE HERE.(Kevin Denker: Right now we're still allowing occupancy but we're going to have to sit down and talk my inspector later today or tomorrow morning, talk about what our next step is.) IT LEAVES AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE FOR ASHLEE HOEFLING-- CARING FOR A LITTLE BOY HURT JUST OUTSIDE HIS FRONT DOOR.(Ashlee Hoefling: It's scary to honestly think that something like that will happen to your kid in your own home. ) NEAR 37TH AND DAVENPORT..KRISTYNA ENGDAHL, KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. PRIOR TO THE COLLAPSE OF THE WALL, LANDLORD ALAN FLAGG TOLD CITY INSPECTORS HE WOULD BE READY FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION IN AUGUST. FLAGG HAS NOT BEEN FINED BY THE CITY, BUT THERE IS A CHARGE FOR RE-INSPECTIONS. AS FOR THE LITTLE BOY, DOCTORS SAY HE WILL HAVE TO WEAR A BOOT FOR ABOUT A MONTH.

The Omaha Code Enforcement is reviewing inspection records on a Midtown apartment building after a retaining wall collapsed on a young boy Monday afternoon.

Ashlee Hoefling said she was sitting on the steps of an apartment building near 36th and Davenport streets when a 6-foot retaining wall on her porch collapsed on her son, 3-year-old AJ Eisenauer.

He was bleeding all over, screaming. We tried to rush him to the car, calm him down, Hoefling said.

AJ suffered a broken foot and some scrapes and bumps.

KETV NewsWatch 7s I-Team investigator, Kristyna Engdahl, learned the city inspector reviewed the brick wall in April.

There's notes in the file that yes, we were concerned about that wall, water getting in behind the wall, said Kevin Denker, code enforcement manager.

In 2011, city inspectors issued a notice of violation on the property, which included concerns about the retaining wall. An inspector noted many problems with the front porch. Since then, city inspectors have had regular contact with the landlord, Alan Flagg.

The owner has been trying to work with our office and make repairs, and he's been meeting with the inspector fairly regularly, Denker said.

The Planning Department's action report on the property lists 19 entries, including the repairs Flagg has made and the reinspections outlining problems that still needed to be addressed.

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Retaining wall collapses on 3-year-old boy