A parking garage in New York City, specifically lower Manhattan, collapsed this afternoon killing one person and injuring multiple people.
The latest on this tragedy concerns 64 code violations dating back to 1976, according to the city’s Department of Buildings. Six violations remain open and pending resolution. The most egregious of those open violations dates back to November 25, 2003, with a severity level considered “hazardous.”
Ann Street near Nassau Street around 4 p.m. when, according to senior FDNY officials, the second floor of a five-story parking garage collapsed into the first floor. Ultimately, the top floor would fall all the way down into the cellar in the pancake collapse.
Officials confirmed one person — a worker in the building — died in the collapse.
It is not known what caused the building collapse at this hour.
The building received a certificate of occupancy in 1957 permitting five or more cars on each floor. This is a 5-story building (4 stories and the cellar) whose potential deterioration dates back to 1925. NBC New York is reporting potential issues with the old concrete.
“Nearly 20 years ago, in 2003, DOB inspectors found more concrete defects in the stairs as well as a hazardous condition with cracks in the first floor ceiling, spalling concrete, missing concrete coverings on steel beams and defective concrete with exposed cracks, according to the city’s online records. While the problems were nearly two decades old, they had not been addressed prior to the collapse.”
This is a tragic story and one that will garner headlines around the country for days and weeks to come. Eventually, investigators will determine the nature and cause of the collapse. If it is found that someone or some corporation was liable for this tragedy and you or a loved one were injured as a result of the negligence, hire a law firm that has over 150 years of experience and has recovered $2 billion for their clients. We handle the big cases with the personal attention required in any tragedy. Call us today for a free initial consultation.
