Philadelphia officials look for cause of deadly collapse

PHILADELPHIA — The search for victims of a building collapse that killed six people wound down Thursday amid mounting questions about whether the demolition company that was tearing down the structure caused the tragedy by cutting corners.

The four-story building along Philadelphia’s busy Market Street collapsed Wednesday onto a Salvation Army thrift shop next door with a loud boom and a huge cloud of dust, trapping employees and others, including a woman on her first day on the job at the store.

“Buildings get demolished all the time in the city of Philadelphia with active buildings right next to them. ... They’re done safely in this city all the time,” Mayor Michael Nutter said. “Something obviously went wrong here yesterday and possibly in the days leading up to it. That’s what the investigation is for.”

As details of the demolition contractor’s checkered legal and financial past came to light, a city councilman charged that dangerous, under-the-radar tear-downs are taking place throughout the city and demanded a stricter application and inspection process for demolition companies.

More than 24 hours after the collapse, the search for the dead and injured was nearly complete, with no one else believed to be in the rubble. Firefighters hosed down piles of bricks to reduce the dust, and heavy machinery scooped up debris.

Rescue efforts were buoyed early Thursday when a 61-year-old woman was pulled out alive and conscious after 13 hours under the rubble. Nyra Plekam was hospitalized in critical condition and was said to be floating in and out of consciousness. At least 12 others were hurt, many with minor injuries, and five remained hospitalized.

“That’s why we stay the course,” said Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers. “This person being pulled out alive is what this rescue operation is all about.”

Officials from the U.S. Department of Labor and Occupational Safety and Health Administration were at the scene.

The mayor said he was not aware of any complaints about the demolition work done by Griffin Campbell Construction in the days before the tragedy. But OSHA said it had gotten a complaint May 15 that workers at the site were at risk of falling. The complaint was still open at the time of the disaster, U.S. Labor Department spokeswoman Leni Uddyback-Fortson said.