2013 Philadelphia building collapse

Building collapse in Philadelphia, United States of America February 2022 July 2021 Philadelphia Salvation Army Building Collapse File:June 5th memorial April 2019.jpg The memorial to the disaster in April 2019 10:43 am EST 2013 06 05 2140 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. 39.9537 -75.1766 type:event_globe:earth_region:US-PA title,inline Botched demolition of adjacent building 6 14 Griffin Campbell, Sean Benschop Third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter (six counts)Reckless endangerment (six counts)Criminal conspiracyRisking catastrophe and causing catastrophe Guilty of involuntary manslaughter On June 5, 2013, a building undergoing demolition collapsed onto the neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store at the southeast corner of 22nd and Market streets in Center City Philadelphia, trapping a number of people under the rubble. The store was open and full of shoppers and staff. Seven people died and fourteen others were injured in the incident. The construction contractor, Griffin Campbell, and the building's excavator operator, Sean Benschop, were subsequently charged with involuntary manslaughter and other charges. They were found guilty of manslaughter, and Campbell and Benschop received prison sentences of 15 to 30 years, and 7.5 to 15 years, respectively. Background 2138 Market Street, an unoccupied four-story building, had been under demolition by Griffin Campbell Construction for several weeks prior to the collapse. This property is owned by Richard Basciano through his development corporation, STB Investments. 2138 Market was adjacent to the one-story 2140 Market Street building, which had a Salvation Army thrift store operating on the ground and basement levels. The store was open and full of shoppers and staff.13 Victims Treated At 3 Hospitals After Center City Building Collapse June 5, 2013 http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2013/06/05/13-victims-treated-at-3-hospitals-after-center-city-building-collapse/ CBS News Philadelphia 6 June 20136 dead, 13 hurt in Philadelphia building collapse https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/05/pa-building-collapse-philadelphia/2391943/ USA Today 6 June 2013 June 5, 2013Matheson, Kathy Collins, Keith Rubinkam, Michael Philadelphia Building Collapse: Search And Rescue Teams Pull 14th Survivor From Rubble (VIDEOS) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/philadelphia-building-collapse-center-city_n_3394146.html The Huffington Post June 5, 2013 June 5, 2013Crane operator charged with manslaughter in Philadelphia building collapse http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-crane-operator-arrested-20130608,0,3919654.story https://archive.today/20130619221309/http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-crane-operator-arrested-20130608,0,3919654.story dead June 19, 2013 The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) June 8, 2013 June 8, 2013 On May 31, 2013, the property manager for STB, Thom Simmonds, emailed Plato Marinakos, an architect for STB, stating that Basciano visited that day and noticed no one was working. He indicated that Basciano would visit the site again that weekend and asked Marinakos to advise. The emails indicated that Basciano returned to the site on June 2 and was pleased to see progress. An 18-ton motorized excavator had been moved on to the site. After being granted immunity by the grand jury, Marinakos testified that on June 4, Griffin Campbell called for a progress payment. Marinakos then went to the site at 6 p.m. on June 4 and was alarmed to see an unsupported brick wall looming next to the Salvation Army building. Marinakos then testified that he told Campbell to take the wall down immediately, "I was like, 'Griffin, you can't leave this wall here. This is just crazy. I mean, you can't do that.'" Owners pressed for faster demolition before fatal collapse Bob Warner http://articles.philly.com/2013-12-17/news/45258661_1_demolition-contractor-richard-basciano-simmonds-jr https://web.archive.org/web/20141012104957/http://articles.philly.com/2013-12-17/news/45258661_1_demolition-contractor-richard-basciano-simmonds-jr dead October 12, 2014 The Philadelphia Inquirer 17 December 2013 27 December 2013 Collapse thumb|Rescue operations following the building's June 5, 2013 collapse thumb|The June 5th memorial, subsequently erected near the site of the building's collapse At 10:43 am, the four-story building under demolition collapsed onto the one-story building next door. The buildings crashed down with crumbling brick and wood snapping. Seven people died and 14 people were injured. A 51-year-old woman was trapped for 13 hours and then hospitalized at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in critical condition.Fantz, Ashley Hoye, Sarah Philly mayor: Probe of building collapse under way http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/06/us/philadelphia-building-collapse/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 CNN June 6, 2013 June 6, 2013 The 13 other injuries were minor. Chris Boyette Lear, Justin 6 dead in Philadelphia building collapse, 13 injured June 5, 2013 http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/05/us/pennsylvania-philadelphia-building-collapse/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 CNN 2013-06-06https://6abc.com/archive/9127882/ 9 injured, more feared trapped in Center City Philadelphia building collapse Abclocal.go.com 2013-06-05 2013-06-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20130606090306/http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=9127882 2013-06-06 live Buildings collapse in Philadelphia http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Building_collapse_.html Philly.com June 5, 2013 June 5, 2013Workers Seek Survivors in Philadelphia Collapse https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/07/us/philadelphia-building-collapse.html?_r=0 The New York Times June 5, 2013 June 5, 2013 Jon Hurdle After the collapse, an 18-year-old high school student who had been walking by the building when it collapsed rushed to the scene and spent 15 minutes trying to free people from the rubble before emergency crews arrived. During a search-and-rescue operation, rescuers used buckets and their bare hands to move through bricks and rubble until the following morning. It was soon discovered that surveillance video from the front of a SEPTA bus operating eastbound on Market Street between 23rd and 22nd Streets had captured the scene at the moment of collapse. Up to a minute of this footage was released by SEPTA to news media outlets in July.Fleming Omari SEPTA Releases New Video Of Deadly Building Collapse http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/22879087/septa-releases-new-video-of-deadly-building-collapse MyFoxPhilly.com 18 September 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20150131080853/http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/22879087/septa-releases-new-video-of-deadly-building-collapse 2015-01-31 dead Victims alt=Three memorial obelisks engraved with text, "For those we remember", "Juanita Harmon", "Roseline Conteh", "Borbor Davis", "Mary Simpson", "Anne Bryan", and "Kimberley Finnegan".|thumb|The June 5th memorial, viewed from the rear facing 22nd and Market Streets. The names of those killed are engraved above colored glass panes, with an empty frame representing all others affected by the collapse. The six people killed by the collapse were:Philadelphia building collapse victims: What we know http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/Philadelphia_building_collapse_victims_What_we_know.html Philly.com June 7, 2013 August 10, 2013 Anne Bryan, 24, an art student at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and daughter of Philadelphia City Treasurer Nancy Winkler Roseline Conteh, 52, a nurse and immigrant from Sierra Leone Bobor Davis, 68, a five-year Salvation Army employee Kimberly Finnegan, 35, a cashier working her first shift at the Salvation Army thrift store Juanita Harmon, 75, a retired secretary at the University of Pennsylvania Mary Simpson, 24, an audio engineer who was on a shopping trip with Anne Bryan Suicide of building inspector On June 12, 2013, Ronald Wagenhoffer, the 52-year-old City Department of Licenses and Inspections inspector responsible for inspecting the demolition site, was found dead in his truck with a gunshot to the chest. His death was ruled a suicide.Inspector in collapsed building case kills himself Bob Warner Ben Finley Joseph A. Gambardello http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20130614_Collapsed_building_inspector_an_apparent_suicide.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 14 June 2013 15 September 2013 As reported by NBC10, Wagenhoffer recorded a video shortly before his death where he expressed his remorse and culpability for the collapse: "It was my fault. I should have looked at those guys working, and I didn't."Inspector of Collapsed Building Says "It Was My Fault," Commits Suicide NBC10 Staff https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/man-who-inspected-collapsed-building-commits-suicide/1984078/ WCAU 15 June 2013 12 June 2013 9 November 2024 Initial city response News reports on June 7 following the collapse indicated that despite multiple complaints, the demolition work at 22nd and Market Street went uninspected for more than three weeks before the deadly collapse.Complaints of shoddy work, unsafe conditions before collapse Bob Warner Paul Nussbaum Mark Fazlollah http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130607_Complaints_of_shoddy_work__unsafe_conditions_before_collapse.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 7 June 2013 15 September 2013 Subsequent reports indicated that Ronald Wagenhoffer had reported he visited the site on May 14 and found no violations. At the time, the city did not require demolition contractors to establish their qualifications. On June 7, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter held a press conference and issued two press statements in which he apologized to the dead and their families as well as the injured survivors and their families. Nutter also announced new demolition rules and standards designed to prevent similar tragedies.Nutter apologizes for deaths, announces changes Paul Nussbaum http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130608_Nutter_apologizes_for_deaths_in_building_collapse__announces_reforms.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 9 June 2013 15 September 2013Collapse tragedy appears to strain Nutter Thomas Fitzgerald http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20130608_Thomas_Fitzgerald__Collapse_tragedy_appears_to_strain_Nutter.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 8 June 2013 15 September 2013 The new rules will require the same level of city monitoring and contractor expertise at private demolition sites that have been required during demolition at public sites. The new rules will prohibit contractors from using heavy machinery to demolish buildings adjacent to occupied structures, which was done at the 22nd and Market demolition. City inspectors were sent to over 300 demolition sites to check for safety violations. Mayor Nutter said City Inspector General Amy Kurlan would begin an investigation of the collapse and government failings that contributed to it. Other investigations were underway by the Office of the City Controller, U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Department of Licenses and Inspections, and the Philadelphia Police DepartmentPhilly building collapse: Contractor has criminal record; owner once dubbed 'porn king' https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/philly-building-collapse-contractor-owner-porn-183326425.html Yahoo News 6 June 2013 Investigations Emails On July 14, The Philadelphia Inquirer published a series of emails detailing a dispute between the Salvation Army and STB.Demolition continued at collapse site despite worries about danger http://articles.philly.com/2013-07-15/news/40571482_1_thrift-store-salvation-army-stb-investments-corp https://web.archive.org/web/20130718163155/http://articles.philly.com/2013-07-15/news/40571482_1_thrift-store-salvation-army-stb-investments-corp dead July 18, 2013 Philly.com July 15, 2013 August 11, 2013 Most of the emails also were copied to City Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger and his top development aide, John Mondlak. STB sought access to the Salvation Army property in order to conduct demolition operations safely. The two parties could not reach an agreement; however, STB initiated demolition nonetheless. On May 22, Thomas Simmonds of STB emailed Deputy Mayor Greenberger, whose duties as deputy mayor for economic development included overseeing the city's Department of Licences and Inspections, saying that 2138 Market was in a state of partial demolition that created "a situation that poses a threat to life and limb", and "This nonsense must end before someone is seriously injured or worse: those are headlines none of us want to see or read." but the city took no action and STB proceeded with the demolition. Other emails indicated that the Salvation Army was also warned of the danger of collapse, but was in a long running dispute with STB regarding access to its building. Shortly after these emails were published in the Inquirer, the City of Philadelphia released numerous documents relating to the collapse.Disclosure Statement https://cityofphiladelphia.github.io/disclosure-docs/ City of Philadelphia July 17, 2013 August 11, 2013 On December 17, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that they had obtained additional emails tied to the collapse, and which had been seen by the grand jury, which indicated the impatience of the developer with the pace of demolition and the demolition contractor's request for progress payments. An April 23 email indicated that Plato Marinakos, architect for STB, was getting bids for asphalt so that once demolition was complete, a parking lot could be installed. An April 29 email indicated that Richard Basciano, the STB owner, had stopped by the site and was "shocked that the buildings were still standing," and demanded progress. Several other of the emails also emphasize the desire of the owners to get the demolition completed. On May 22 Thom Simmonds emailed Alex Wolfington, a consultant to STB, opposing further negotiations with the Salvation Army: "Why?..Waste more time? Wait for someone to be killed? You can do what you want but I am NOT backing off with these people and their half-baked charity. Perhaps you have the time and/or desire to 'deal' with their idiotic behavior. I don't and I won't. I have to look after the interests of the Owners - Richard and his daughters." Criminal investigation On June 8, Sean Benschop, the crane operator working on the demolition job at the time, was charged with six counts of involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count of risking a catastrophe.http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/08/sean-benschop-charges-philadelphia-building-collapse_n_3407485.html?ref%3Dtopbar Sean Benschop Charges: Equipment Operator Was On Drugs During Philadelphia Building Collapse, Officials Say HuffPost 2013-06-08 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130612014219/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/08/sean-benschop-charges-philadelphia-building-collapse_n_3407485.html?ref=topbar 2013-06-12 A blood test performed after the collapse when he admitted to taking codeine and percocet, revealed marijuana in his system.Lattanzio Vince http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Crane-Operator-Had-Drugs-in-His-System--210608021.html Backhoe Operator Faces Criminal Charges in Building Collapse, Had Drugs in His System: Sources | NBC 10 Philadelphia Nbcphiladelphia.com 2013-07-08 2016-08-19Philadelphia Building Collapse: Crane Operator To Be Charged with Manslaughter https://abc7.com/archive/9130627/ ABC News 7 June 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130609003240/http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news%2Fnational_world&id=9130627 9 June 2013 live Benschop turned himself in to police later that day.Excavator operator surrenders to police Aubrey Whelan Mike Newall http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20130609_Excavator_operator_surrenders_to_police.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 9 June 2013 15 September 2013 On June 10, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams convened a grand jury to investigate the circumstances that led to the collapse, a step that may result in criminal charges against responsible individuals.Grand jury, Council committee to investigate building collapse http://www.philly.com/philly/news/homepage/20130611_Grand_jury__Council_committee_to_investigate_building_collapse.html?c=r Philly.com June 10, 2013 August 10, 2013 On Sunday, June 16, The Philadelphia Inquirer ran an editorial calling for the investigations of the Market Street collapse to look at top officials and property owners. The Inquirer said, "it was disheartening to hear a former mayor, Ed Rendell, defend Richard Basciano, who owns the building that fell through the thrift shop." The Inquirer editorial stated that "responsibility goes much higher than Sean Benschop, the excavator operator who allegedly tested positive for drugs and has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and than the city building inspector who apparently killed himself ...[over having] wished he had done more to prevent it.” Aim high with building probes Editorial http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/inquirer/20130616_Inquirer_Editorial__Aim_high_with_building_probes.html The Philadelphia Inquirer 16 June 2013 31 August 2013 Grand jury charges On November 25, 2013, R. Seth Williams, the district attorney, said based on recommendations from the grand jury, prosecutors had formally charged the contractor, Griffin T. Campbell, 49, with six counts each of third-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of reckless endangerment and single counts of criminal conspiracy, risking catastrophe and causing catastrophe. http://media.philly.com/documents/market+street+collapse+grand+jury+presentment.pdf Order Sealing Presentment No. 1 Media.philly.com 2016-08-19 Mr. Williams said that the collapse occurred because the building's structural supports, including some of its wooden joists, had been removed early in the demolition, leaving walls and floors without adequate support. Mr. Campbell was being paid a flat fee for the demolition and was intent on doing the work as cheaply as possible while saving scrap from the building for resale.Philadelphia Contractor Is Charged in Fatal Building Collapse https://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/us/philadelphia-contractor-is-charged-in-fatal-building-collapse.html?_r=0 The New York Times November 25, 2013 December 27, 2013 Timothy Williams According to an ABC News article, "the building owner who chose Campbell's $112,000 bid to take down three attached storefronts - when other bids were two or three times that amount - was not charged Monday. However, the grand jury has not finished its work, and Williams declined comment on whether owner Richard Basciano could be charged." Richard Basciano, a commercial developer previously dubbed the pornography king of New York's Times Square, owned the three adjacent, long run-down buildings being demolished by Griffin Campbell to make way for redevelopment. Plato Marinakos the architect who had been retained by STB, had secured the demolition permit from City Hall, testified before the grand jury after he was promised immunity.Contractor in Center City collapse held without bail https://6abc.com/archive/9338988/ 6abc.com November 27, 2013 December 27, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131228175911/http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=9338988 December 28, 2013 live In October 2014, Campbell was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and other charges. On January 8, 2016, he was sentenced to 15 years to 30 years imprisonment, and Sean Benschop received a sentence of 7.5 years to 15 years imprisonment for involuntary manslaughter charges.Ax, Joseph https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pennsylvania-crime-collapse-idUSKBN0UM29520160108 Philadelphia man gets up to 30 years prison for collapse that killed six Reuters January 8, 2016 January 18, 2016 On September 1, 2021, An appeals court denied to overrule Griffin Campbell's sentence. The court cited how there was no evidence to suggest a conflict of interest making a obstruction to a fair trial. Miller Matt 2021-09-01 Demolition contractor convicted of manslaughter for Philly building collapse that killed 6 loses appeal https://www.pennlive.com/crime/2021/09/demolition-contractor-convicted-of-manslaughter-for-philly-building-collapse-that-killed-6-loses-appeal.html 2026-02-16 pennlive enhttps://ujsportal.pacourts.us/Report/PacDocketSheet?docketNumber=518%20EDA%202020&dnh=eJApFd%2BUAIolTo9kQZEjzw%3D%3D Superior Court of Pennsylvania Legal proceedings OSHA charges On November 16, exactly six months after OSHA inspectors visited the demolition site and noted infractions, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited Griffin Campbell, doing business as Campbell Construction, and Sean Benschop, doing business as S&R Contracting, for safety violations, including three willful per-instance violations, following the June 5, 2013, building collapse that killed six people and injured 14.Philadelphia demolition contractors cited by US Labor Department's OSHA for willful and serious safety violations following fatal June building collapse https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=25089 dol.gov November 17, 2013 December 27, 2013 The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that David Michaels, assistant U.S. secretary of labor for occupational safety and health said "This tragic incident could and should have been prevented," "We should not be here today." According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Michaels also said the agency had begun discussions with the Justice Department about possible prosecutions, on top of a local grand-jury investigation that the District Attorney's Office initiated in June. OSHA levied the maximum fine possible against the Campbell firm - $70,000 - for each of what regulators determined were three "willful violations" of basic safety requirements: failing to prepare an engineering study for the demolition project; disobeying a rule requiring higher stories to be removed before demolition begins on lower floors; and removing lateral bracing, provided by the floors, to support walls more than one story high. Removal of lateral bracing is a safety breach so "egregious," OSHA regulators said, that the penalty was levied twice, for violations on two separate days. Additional citations for hard-hat violations, inadequate fall protection, and stair inspections pushed Campbell's total fines to $313,000. S&R was fined $84,000 for one "willful" violation of lateral bracing requirements, and two "serious" violations related to training and failure to protect employees from falls." In response to the charges, Griffin Campbell's attorney, William Hobson noted that "Inspectors from both OSHA and the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections had visited the Market Street site repeatedly while the demolition was underway, Hobson said, "and neither OSHA nor L&I ever shut down what was a safely-conceived demolition of the buildings. . .OSHA: Deadly collapse was 'preventable' Bob Warner http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-16/news/44117231_1_osha-demolition-project-griffin-campbell https://archive.today/20131227200926/http://articles.philly.com/2013-11-16/news/44117231_1_osha-demolition-project-griffin-campbell dead December 27, 2013 The Philadelphia Inquirer 16 November 2013 27 December 2013 Civil cases A lawsuit was filed on June 6 for financial damages on behalf of Nadine White, the survivor who was buried under rubble. City officials began inspecting hundreds of demolition sites throughout the city. The demolition contractor violated several federal safety regulations and it was said that the building's owner should have picked a more qualified and competent contractor to do the work.Fallout Mounts in Fatal Philadelphia Building Collapse https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/07/philadelphia-building-collapse/2399255/?dlvrit=206567 USA Today 7 June 2013 June 7, 2013 On September 3, 2013, a wrongful death complaint was filed by George Simpson, brother and administrator for the estate of Mary Lea Simpson. Mary Simpson, age twenty-four, was one of six people killed in the collapse. Defendants named in the lawsuit were Richard Basciano, STB Investments Corporation, Thomas Simmonds, Frank Cresci, 2100 West Market Street Corporation, 303 West 42nd Street Corporation, Nicetown House Development Corporation a/k/a Griffin Campbell Construction, Griffin T. Campbell, S&R Contracting, Sean Benschop, Plato Studio Architect, LLC, and Plato Marinakos, Jr. Additionally named as defendants were the Salvation Army in Greater Philadelphia, The Trustees of the Salvation Army in Pennsylvania, The Salvation Army Eastern Territory, and the National Headquarters of the Salvation Army. Also named were Alistair Fraser, Operations Manager for the Salvation Army Eastern Territory responsible for architectural and/or engineering issues for the Salvation Army Thrift Store; Charles Deitrick, General Secretary of the Salvation Army; and John Cranford, Administrator of the Salvation Army. https://www.scribd.com/doc/165145989/Philadelphia-Building-Collapse-Wrongful-Death-Complaint Philadelphia Building Collapse Wrongful Death Complaint Scribd.com 2013-12-30 2016-08-19 On September 17, 2013, the parents of Art student Anne Bryan, City Treasurer Nancy Winkler and her husband Jay Bryan, filed a wrongful death suit. The couple held a press conference and called for answers, including the creation of an independent blue ribbon panel to investigate the City's Department of Licenses and Inspections.Philly treasurer sues over daughter's death in building collapse, calls for panel on demolitions Dave Davies http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/off-mic/59910-city-treasurer-sues-over-building-collapse WHYY 18 September 2013 15 September 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20130924200247/http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/local/off-mic/59910-city-treasurer-sues-over-building-collapse 24 September 2013 dead Marika Plekan, a Ukrainian immigrant who was trapped under rubble in the collapse for 13 hours and survived, but lost both her legs as a result, was awarded $95.6 million for her injuries in a lawsuit. Plekan died in 2021 of COVID-19 at 59. Regulatory reforms In response to the collapse, the Philadelphia City Council has held hearings to evaluate the laws that regulate demolition in the city and the changes that Mayor Nutter enacted in response to the tragedy.Phila. Council opens hearings on building collapse http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pennsylvania/20130620_Phila__Council_opens_hearings_on_building_collapse.html Philly.com June 10, 2013 August 10, 2013 References 30em Category:2013 disasters in the United States Category:2013 industrial disasters Category:2013 in Pennsylvania Building collapse Category:Building and structure collapses in 2013 Category:Building and structure collapses in the United States Category:Crimes in Philadelphia Category:Criminal duos Category:Disasters in Pennsylvania Category:June 2013 in the United States Category:Manslaughter trials Category:Market Street (Philadelphia) Category:Salvation Army buildings Category:Salvationism in the United States