Collapsing Buildings and Roadways

Jan 5, 2015

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/world/asia/bangladesh-building-collapse.html?hp&_r=0

Published: April 24, 2013

NEW DELHI — An eight-story building in Bangladesh that housed several garment factories collapsed on Wednesday morning, killing at least 70 people, injuring hundreds of others, and leaving an unknown number of people trapped in the rubble, according to Bangladeshi officials and media outlets.... http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/25/world/asia/bangladesh-building-collapse.html?hp&_r=0

So much happening under our feet. Daily collapses of roadways due to the severe bow stretch, severe rains, crunching and land subduction all predicted in Zetatalk and all happening now. Last week in Utah a fatal road collapse killed a 14 year old girl and injured 2. It's painful to watch the planet crumble but we all knew it was coming.

Buildings collapsing.........a daily happening too. With responses about what's causing all these happenings ranging from, rain, human error, poorly constructed, yada yada.....BUT, that's not going to fly with people much longer. As soon as Planet X peers out at us from the sky, people will remember all the things that have happened up to this point and finally somehow, they will connect the dots. Some will be in extreme denial, others will be so afraid and look for someone to take care of them, and still others will stand up and be counted and prepare as best we could. There's no wishing this away, there's only pushing forward to a better tomorrow. While our infrastructure crumbles around us we need to learn to be more careful, tread softly, kiss your kids, love with all your heart. We are IN IT NOW.

I live in a house built in 1850 and it isn't falling down. Age does not mean collapse.

100-year-old building partially collapses in Malone

By: Rachael Paradis

A building in Malone that has been standing for more than a century will no longer be a sight in the town. The building on Route 11, well known to many in the community, collapsed overnight. While no one was injured, our Rachael Paradis tells us why the town is in a rush to tear it down.

MALONE, N.Y. -- Neighbors in Malone stood in surprise, took pictures and even shared stories of a once popular tavern that started to crumble early Monday morning.

County Legislator Billy Jones said, "It's an old structure, it was a structure that was obviously unsafe."

The tavern/hotel was built in the early 1900'. It has been closed to the public for about 15 years and was condemned six months ago.

Franklin County Emergency Services Director Rick Provost, "We're unsure what occurred last night at 3 a.m. What we do know is this building has been on our list of buildings with issues."

Jones said, "Old things fall down."

Police closed off part off Route 11 to traffic and to people, out of concern the rest of the building could fall down. Some in the community voiced concern over why this building, along with others like it in the area that haven't already been demolished. Officials say it comes down to money.

Provost said, "The high cost of abatement for these buildings really makes it tough for the county or the village to take those burdens on."

Jones, "We just have to come up with a plan to start taking some of these building down so we don't run into this problem going forward."

The demolition is only expected to take hours, but cleaning up the area is a different issue. Officials say it could be weeks before the site is completely cleared.

http://centralny.ynn.com/content/top_stories/551123/100-year-old-building-partially-collapses-in-malone

LAKE ELSINORE: Water leak causes street collapse

10:00 PM PDT on Friday, July 22, 2011

By GENE GHIOTTO
The Press-Enterprise

Temporary repairs to a section of Joy Street in Lake Elsinore are in place today after a 1-inch water line gave way, causing 80 feet of the roadway to collapse and the asphalt to buckle.

The leak, caused by a 6 to 8-inch diameter tree root, was reported late Thursday in a line that leads to several duplexes on Joy between Machado Street and Riverside Drive, and behind Machado Elementary School.

Water service was restored to the 34 customers early Friday morning, said Greg Morrison, spokesman for the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District.

Water district and contractor crews spent much of Friday removing the damaged asphalt on the southbound side of Joy and laying down a temporary patch. The road was opened in both directions by late afternoon.

"That way the road will be open completely for the entire weekend," Morrison said.

Crews will return Monday and trench from curb to curb to permanently repair the 1-inch line.

On Tuesday, a paving company will remove the patch, put down new base and repave one side of Joy, Morrison said. Work on the other side will take place on Wednesday.

"That way on Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be able to keep on

http://www.pe.com/localnews/stories/PE_News_Local_D_spipe23.38e27e6.html

Windhorst, Parsons Roadway Collapse: Cautious Testing Continues

County workers are testing for sinkholes but the work is proceeding methodically because of utility lines at the intersection, according to a Hillsborough County spokesman.

Several lanes at the intersection of Windhorst Road and Parsons Avenue in Brandon remained closed for the indefinite future as county workers tread carefully in determining what caused a section of the roadway to collapse July 19.

“We have to be really careful at that intersection because there are lots of utility lines in the area,” said Hillsborough County spokesman Patrick Murray. "We have a sewer line and a water line there and we have to make sure there are no other utilities, so we have to be careful drilling.”

At the scene, late afternoon July 22, barricades were seen at the intersection, with drilling under way.

Crew workers first believed a 16-inch sewage pipeline beneath the intersection might have caused the collapse of the 6-foot-square section of roadway on July 19, according to a county report.

But the sewer line was dug up and found to be intact. Now the county is testing the intersection for sinkholes — but carefully, as Murray noted.

Additional detours and lane closures are possible as crews dig up the line for inspection and any necessary repairs.

Motorists who must travel through the intersection are warned to expect delays.

http://brandon.patch.com/articles/windhorst-parsons-roadway-collapse-cautious-testing-continues

Sewer collapse closes part of Lexington Road

At least one eastbound lane of Road near Etley Avenue and Cave Hill Cemetery will be closed during Thursday morning’s rush hour after a 48-inch brick sewer collapsed Wednesday evening.

Crews noticed a depression in the road before discovering the sewer had collapsed, and the area will be excavated Thursday morning, said Metropolitan Sewer District Executive Bud Schardein.

He said it was too early to tell what caused the collapse, but age was a likely factor. That part of the sewer was built in the 1880s and could have been weakened from an unusually wet spring.

“With all the wet weather we’ve had this past spring, that has a tendency to undermine the mortar,” Schardein said.

http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20110720/NEWS01/307200099/Sewer-collapse-closes-part-Lexington-Road

Road collapse might have killed Colorado family

Rebecca Martinez (2011-07-20)

CARBON COUNTY (wpr) - Engineers say a large section of Wyoming highway where four Colorado family members plunged to their deaths might have totally collapsed in a matter of minutes.

It had been raining for hours Monday night when local authorities warned the Constantinides family, among others, about potential flood conditions near North Brush Creek Campground around midnight.

Not long afterward, the family's van drove into a washed-out portion of Wyoming highway 130 and was swept about 75 yards down Brush Creek. Laurel Constantindies and her three daughters died.

The husband and father, Alex Constantindies, who had grown up in Laramie, survived and escape the vehicle. He and a passerby later rescued Carbon County Emergency management Coordinator John Ziegler, whose car washed out while he was trying to assist in flood protection efforts.

Ziegler said he was "very fortunate" to have survived.

Bruce Burrows of the Wyoming Transportation Department says engineers are studying what happened to the roadway early Tuesday morning. He says preliminary assessments indicate the creek swollen with rain and snowmelt may have undermined the roadway over some hours and then gouged a 25-foot-wide, 9-foot-deep hole in a matter of minutes.

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wpr/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1830359/WPR..News./Road.collapse.might.have.killed.Colorado.family

Yunnan road test the opening day collapse resulting in four deaths and injuries

8, Yunnan” in the history of the most short-lived highway “a serious collapse destroyed sections of the site. After investigation, the highway there in time duration and other issues. Xinhua News Agency reporters Chen Hai and Ning She

Recently, Yunnan Province, Internet users post, said the new Xinping county secondary road test three estuary opening day collapse occurs, resulting in 2 dead 2 injured. Internet users have questioned this “the most short-lived highway” Why just fix it collapsed, was “too much rain” or “bad way”?

After the incident, Yunnan Provincial Department and the Transportation Department were dispatched to investigate a group of experts, the group that really belongs to all “natural disasters caused by heavy rainfall.”

collapse of the vehicle crash on

recently, Internet users “pass,” said Post, June 27, Xinping County of Yuxi City, three city secondary road test the opening of the estuary collapse occurred the next day, resulting in a vehicle passing through here turn under the cliff, killing two people died inside the car and two others injured, highway interrupted. For the cause of the accident, the local government is a single point of heavy rain caused by a natural disaster.

7 8, correspondent along the new road to the scene three, the road there are construction workers on the highway guardrail, drainage and other construction, from time to time some sections of earth and rock rolled down from the hills.

close to the scene of the accident, the construction set up roadblocks on the road side. In the new three road K25 +450 to K26 +480 road, the reporter saw a total of three road damage, including two collapsed, a surface crack. Road accident at the hillside, two-way four-lane have collapsed, a lot of rocks, soil and concrete was rushed into the street of the valley.

“red water collapsed roadbed”

Zhang Xinping County Department of Transportation Secretary BU has introduced three new roads through villages and towns in Xinping County 8 19 village committees, with a total mileage of 90 kilometers . Road along the fragile geology, disasters, floods and geological disasters have been more serious.

accidents mainly due to heavy rains led to a single point of soft roadbed, road ditches and culverts to be above the blockage, and finally the formation of water as a waterfall of impact, resulting in collapse of highway roadbed.

Bu there are rules that highway design, construction and supervision units are selected strictly in accordance with the bidding system, procedural compliance and found no serious design flaws, quality of construction or supervision of omissions.

collapse occurred Sections of the construction unit project manager Jiangzu Long introduction, the unit will subcontract work to the successful construction services company, the project head of engineering equipment and materials, and is responsible for management and technical guidance, service company only the labor force, which is not labor sub-subcontract, the state permitted by law.

he said, in strict accordance with design drawings for construction, engineering, quality is no problem, Lu Jisong soft infiltration and erosion is mainly caused by the floods.

no quality problems, experts say

afterwards, Yunnan Provincial Department and the Transportation Department were sent experts to the scene. The Group believes that: section of the incident transverse slope steep terrain, poor geological conditions, heavy rainfall increased the hydrostatic pressure, the formation of collapse, is a heavy rainfall-induced natural disasters.

Yunnan Provincial Communications Department who participated in the survey, experts say, from the survey of the situation, roadbed, retaining wall strength and so meet the requirements and found no quality problems.

subsidy investigation in time duration for the fight

accused of the most short-lived road not approved the first building, not the acceptance that the opening test

Reporter learned that the investigation, three new road opened in October 2009 to build, and design in May 2010 before the Provincial Communications Department has been approved, there is “not approved prior to construction” and “time duration” issue. Not hand over the road in case of acceptance of test traffic violations, and plans to be held on 30 June the opening ceremony, canceled after the accident.

construction personnel, three new road along the geological environment is complex, time is short, heavy task in building a post, Xinping shouted “make a big quick-drying 60 days,” the slogan of the progress of the projects Forced , post workers overtime work.

what makes engineering so catch it? Reporters learned that, in addition to travel to meet the requirements of the masses, more important reason is that for national road toll for the abolition of two grants. According to the policy, the new secondary roads shall be June 30 this year, opened to traffic, or can not enjoy the state’s two highway toll abolition of subsidies.

http://www.cnkeyword.info/yunnan-road-test-the-opening-day-collapse-resulting-in-four-deaths-and-injuries/

Details Emerge in Deadly Road Collapse

Cheyenne : WY : USA | Jul 20, 2011

Engineers say a large section of Wyoming highway where four Colorado family members plunged to their deaths may have totally collapsed in a matter of minutes. Bruce Burrows of the Wyoming Transportation Department says engineers are studying what happened to state Route 130 over South Brush Creek... FULL ARTICLE AT KSAZ

http://www.allvoices.com/news/9730810-details-emerge-in-deadly-road-collapse

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http://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/newsdesk/2013/06/17/incident-sc...

INCIDENT: SCHOOL BUILDING COLLAPSE

Workman trapped as building collapsed during demolition

It has been reported by the Exeter Express and Echo that a workman is recovering in hospital after being trapped under a collapsed building at a primary school.

Emergency services were called to Lympstone Primary School in East Devon and the 50-year-old male was taken to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth with neck and leg injuries which are not thought to be life threatening.

The workman was demolishing a long standing temporary building at the school and the incident was witnessed by several schoolchildren.

Headteacher Tony Priest said:

“The school is going through a period of expansion and as a result some of the older rooms are being demolished. This particular building was a temporary structure that had been in use for many years. During the lunch time two of the walls and the roof of the building came down. There were three workmen on the site, two managed to get clear but the other was caught under the roof. The emergency services arrived promptly and used specialist jacks to raise the rubble.

It happened at lunchtime so there were children out and about and some saw and heard what happened. We finished the lunch break early and the children were back in class quickly. It is awful to think what might have happened had there been children inside.”

Devon and Cornwall police said:

“There was one man trapped inside by his legs, six to eight feet in rubble. He was extracted by the fire service. Thankfully the casualty didn’t suffer any major injuries. He’s got a relatively minor ankle injury. He was taken to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital by land ambulance as a precaution. HSE was advised and will be beginning an investigation into the circumstances.”

Jun 18, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/8287145.html

At least 1 buried in NW China building collapse

(Xinhua)

12:55, June 17, 2013

LANZHOU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least one person was buried in the rubble of acollapsed building in northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday, local authoritiessaid.

The building collapsed around 9:50 a.m. in Chengguan Township, Zhuoni County,according to sources with the fire-fighting authorities of the Tibet AutonomousPrefecture of Gannan, which administers the county.

It has been confirmed that an excavator driver was buried under the debris, butrescuers have not yet determined whether more people were buried.

Search and rescue work for the driver is under way.

Jun 18, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://news.oneindia.in/2013/06/21/1-killed12-hurt-in-thane-buildin...

2 killed,12 hurt in Thane building collapse Updated: Friday, June 21, 2013, 8:07 [IST

Mumbai, June 21: Two persons including an infant were killed while 12 injured after a three-storey building collapsed in Mumbra in the adjoining Thane district in the wee hours on Friday. The building, located in Mumbra locality of Thane collapsed around 2:30 am, civic sources said. Six fire tenders and ambulances have been rushed to the spot and rescue work is in progress, the sources said. NDRF and BMC teams were later sent to the spot. According to local people, 7-8 people are still feared to be trapped under the debris. Rain was causing hindrance to the rescue operation. Reports said an warning was issued to the residents by the local municipal authorities since it was not in a good condition. But the warning was reportedly ignored. Police sources said the building was 32-year old and probe would be held into the details behind its collapse. The incident comes two months after another building in Mumbra collapsed, killing over 70 persons. The building, Lucky Compound was collapsed in April.

Jun 21, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://boston.com/metrodesk/2013/06/21/building-collapse-reported-h...

Building collapse reported in Hopkinton

06/21/2013 1:03 PM

A building collapse was reported at a 19th-century brick building in Hopkinton today, a fire dispatcher said.

No details were immediately available about the extent of the collapse or whether anyone was injured.

The two-story building, at 188 Hayden Rowe St., was built in 1850, according to town records. It is listed as a four-to-eight-family home.

Jun 22, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/five-killed-in-building-collapse/...

Another building collapse in Mumbai, 5 killed

PTI : Mumbai, Sat Jun 22 2013, 13:23 hrs

Five persons were killed and six others injured when a four-storey building collapsed this morning in suburban Dahisar here, police said. The building, located in market area of Dahisar (East), was vacated two years ago by BMC officials but local vegetable vendors used to take night shelter in the structure sometimes.

The building, which was constructed more than 30 years ago could not get into re-development as the conveyance deed was not done by the builder, flat owners told local MP Sanjay Nirupam, who visited the spot after the mishap.

Nirupam assured the flat owners that he would get the deemed conveyance of the building done. The six injured have been admitted to Bhagwati hospital for treatment, police added.

Yesterday, a building had collapsed in Thane's Mumbra area killing at least 10 people, including six children, and injuring 14.

Jun 22, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.theeagle.com/news/a_m/article_161a11c4-db62-11e2-b9e2-00...

Building at Texas A&M equestrian complex collapses

Posted: Saturday, June 22, 2013 12:45 am | Updated: 2:22 pm, Sat Jun 22, 2013.

A building at the Texas A&M Equestrian Complex, an $80 million complex under construction on the university's west campus off F&B Road, has collapsed.

The building, a barn about 300 feet long that was under construction, collapsed just before 11 a.m.

Initial reports from emergency responders indicate that four people, all construction workers, were taken to hospitals, with three in critical condition.

After the four injured workers were taken to the hospital, search and rescue efforts were suspended until the building could be stabilized. After the structure was deemed safe, a secondary search ensured that everyone was accounted for and no other injuries were reported, a spokesman for the College Station Fire Department said in a news release.

Jun 22, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-06-22/mumbai/40133...

Another building collapse claims 7 lives in Mumbai suburb
PTI Jun 22, 2013, 10.08PM IST
(Seven persons were killed…)

MUMBAI: Seven persons were killed and six others injured when a building came crashing down in suburban Dahisar on Saturday, exposing the poor housing conditions of the metropolis and its adjoining areas yet again.

This is the fourth tragedy since April this year. The building - Piyush - collapsed at around 6.30am, civic authorities said, adding that most of those trapped in the rubbles were local vegetable vendors.
Jun 24, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://newsitem.com/building-collapse-in-shamokin-1.1513754

Pennsylvania

SHAMOKIN — The City of Shamokin declared a state of emergency at 8 a.m. today because of a building collapse in the 600 block of West Spruce Street.
City officials reported the collapse occurred in the rear of row homes at 613 and 615. The city is making arrangements for an emergency demolition.
The city has limited pedestrian and vehicle traffic in the block to local residents only. Otherwise, the public is asked to stay away from the area.
People living in the vicinity have been asked to monitor the situation and contact emergency personnel immediately if there are any changes. Utility service to the affected properties has been shut off.

Jul 1, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://news.oneindia.in/2013/07/04/building-collapses-yet-again-in-...

Building collapses yet again in Thane, 1 killed, 15 injured

Thane, July 4: One person was killed while 15 others were injured in yet another building collapse in Maharashtra midnight on Wednesday. The ill-fated two-storey building located in Bhiwandi near Thane housed a garment factory. Additional police commissioner Himmat Rao Deshbhartar said 45 people were working inside the building when the accident occurred. While 25 people were rescued, 15 were still feared to be trapped in the debris when the last reports came in. One of the survivors said an illegal construction was underway on the third floor when the three-year-old building caved in. The workers, most of whom are migrants, jumped to save their lives when the building collapsed, reports said. Rescue operation was still on at the accident site.

Seventy-four people were killed after a seven-storey building collapsed in Thane suburb on April 4 this year. OneIndia News

Jul 4, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130705/LOCAL07/130709660

Indiana

Last updated: July 5, 2013 11:44 p.m.

Downtown Warren building collapses during festival

Archie Ingersoll | The Journal Gazette

No one was seriously injured when a building in downtown Warren collapsed Friday night during the Salamonie Summer Festival, according to the Huntington County Sheriff's Department.

The collapse of the two-story brick building at 122 N. Wayne St. was reported just after 8 p.m., and sheriff's deputies and firefighters were still cleaning up the scene at 11:30 p.m., a dispatcher said.

Residents in the area lost electricity as a result. There was a possibility some residents would not have power restored until today, the dispatcher said.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately clear.

Jul 6, 2013
KM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2358117/Indias-Secunderabad...

Indian hotel collapse kills ten with dozens more feared trapped inside as 20 are pulled from the rubble
- More are feared to be trapped inside the rubble in the Hyderabad hotel
- The concrete roof collapsed at around 6.30am local time this morning
- Those killed are reportedly labourers who were eating their breakfast
By Anna Edwards

PUBLISHED: 08:01 GMT, 8 July 2013 | UPDATED: 11:04 GMT, 8 July 2013

At least 10 people have died and 12 others injured after a two-storey hotel collapsed in southern India.

More are believed to be trapped inside the rubble in the Hyderabad building, while another 20 people have been rescued from the wreckage.

Police official Anurag Sharma said more people are feared to be trapped in the debris of the City Light Hotel.

Mr Sharma said rescue operations are continuing at the site, after the concrete roof collapsed at around 6.30am local time this morning.

The hotel is located in the Secunderabad suburb of Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh state.

The Hindu newspaper reported that while the cause of the collapse of the roof is not yet known, police officials suspect that internal constructions - such as including new stoves - could have led to the incident.

The paper reported that most of those hurt in the deadly collapse were labourers who were eating their breakfast near the restaurant.
Jul 8, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0eRZMlmnxE

12 Killed in Secunderabad Hotel Building Collapses, 8 July, 2013

Published on Jul 7, 2013

Source : IbnLive
Eleven people have been killed after a building collapsed in Andhra Pradesh's Secunderabad city 8 July 2013

Andhra Pradesh: Hotel building collapses in Secunderabad, 10 killed
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Six killed in building collapse in Secunderabad
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Nine dead in Hyderabad building collapse
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Andhra Pradesh, City Light hotel, Secunderabad building collapse, Hyderabad, Hyderabad hotel collapse, Secunderabad

Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Monda Market, Secunderabad, building collapsed

Jul 9, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=2...

Three-story Building in Harco Glodok Collapsed

BERITAJAKARTA.COM — 16/07/2013 16:33:14

A three-story building in Harco Glodok Shopping Arcade on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, Tamansari, West Jakarta, collapsed, Tuesday (7/16). As a result, the rubbles of the building rained down on tens of cafeterias below. The cause of the collapse is still unknown. Luckily, there is no casualty in the incident.

Lia (38), one of the cafeteria workers, said due to the rubbles she and her fellow cafeteria workers cannot work today. Harco Glodok management also has not come to visit them. “The damage to the cafeteria is not much. But, we cannot conduct our businesses,” she uttered.

The collapsed building was 40 meters wide, while each of the stalls in the cafeteria is about two meters wide. “Thus, the total expanse of the collapsed floor is about 40x2 meters with 22 kiosks which fell along with the floor,” told Lia.

According to Head of Tamansari Sector Police Detective and Criminal Unit, Comr. Erick Frendiz, the building collapsed at around 1.30 AM. This incident impacts on the canteen which is located on the second floor of Harco Glodok. Luckily. there was no activity in the canteen when the incident happened. “There is no casualty reported in the incident. But, there are six canteens damaged due to this incident, and now its debris is still being cleaned up,” he stated.

Based on beritajakarta.com observations, the damaged canteens have been covered with tarpaulins, while some canteen owners cleaning the debris of collapsed building. Until now, the building management of Harco Glodok is still reluctant to give explanation of the incident in detail.

Jul 16, 2013
Heather

20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway closed due to large crack in road

Posted on: 8:04 am, July 15, 2013,

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Officials said 20 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed due to a large crack running down its center in Buncombe County.

The road is closed from Milepost 375 to Milepost 355 at N.C. 128 near Mount Mitchell State Park.

The crack is about 6’ deep and 100’ long, officials said.

Park rangers believe it opened up because of the recent amounts of rain.

The bank below the roadway is also starting to slide.

“Safety for visitors and the public, we’re not sure how much more this is (going to) move or if we’re (going to) lose the whole surface up here. And then further we’ve had maintenance supervisors out here today on site. We’ve got engineers coming in to do an assessment.”

Officials are not sure when the Parkway will reopen.

July is typically the second-busiest month for the Parkway.

source

Jul 17, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

2 Dead as Wall of Apartment Collapses in Barnaul (Video)

19 July 2013

The Moscow Times

A man and a woman died in Barnaul after the front wall of a three-story apartment building collapsed, a news report said Friday.

The incident happened on Ulitsa Emilia Alekseyeva at around 2:56 p.m. and the bodies of Valery Zhukov, 60, and Lyudmila Dostovolova, 64, were uncovered 15 minutes later during the rescue operation, the regional emergencies office said.

Pieces of masonry had started to come loose and fall off the day before the fatal collapse, but despite the warning signs some residents refused to leave the building at the authorities' request, Interfax reported.

The video footage shows the rescue team looking for survivors in the debris.

The building will now be completely demolished and the 21 surviving residents have been resettled in temporary housing.

Alexander Karlin, the republic of Altai's governor, said 50,000 rubles ($1,500) will be given to each family member and 500 thousand rubles to the families of the deceased.

Officials have opened a criminal investigation on charges of causing the death of two or more people, which carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

"I gave instructions to look thoroughly into the events and determine the degree of responsibility of officials," Karlin said in a statement.

RIA Novosti has reported 26 instances of buildings collapsing so far this year. The wall of another building in Barnaul partially collapsed in March.

Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/2-dead-as-wall-of-apartm...

Jul 19, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-07-27/ahmedabad/40...

Gone in 30 seconds

TNN Jul 27, 2013, 03.07AM IST

AHMEDABAD: It was like a nightmare come true for residents of Rupal Apartment on Radhaswamy Road in Ranip when, on Friday morning, the front portion of block number 7 collapsed. Three residents, all women, suffered injuries and had to be rushed to Civil Hospital.

According to residents, the incident took place at 10 am when the house belonging to one Kamlesh Panchal on the ground floor of block 7 crumbled. The house was under renovation for the past one week but the slab supporting the upper floors had become weak. A couple of construction labourers were working at the site.

Jul 28, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/one-killed-23-injured-as-part-of...

One killed, 23 injured as part of mall complex collapses in Gujarat

Press Trust of India | Updated: July 28, 2013 23:21 IST

Surat, Gujarat: One person died, while 23 others sustained injuries when the front elevation of a shopping mall collapsed in the posh Ghodod locality in Surat in Gujarat, police said.

"One of the persons undergoing treatment succumbed to the injuries. Others were rescued from debris and admitted to local civil hospital for medical aid," they said.

The fire and police official cordoned off the mall premises, where the incident took place.

Recently, a leading pizza chain had opened its outlet in the mall and its extended elevation portion collapsed, officials said.

Jul 30, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.inquisitr.com/875609/building-collapses-wedding-video/

27 July 2013

Why not start your week with a building collapse during a wedding in process in Kostroma, Russia? Hit that button to see the billing and cooing of the white doves waiting to be released and then the lovely couple themselves approaching the chapel…only to have their big day stolen by the sudden and unexplained collapse of the huge building across the street Boom.

Jul 30, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india/five-storeyed-year-old-buildi...

Five-storeyed 100-year-old building collapses in Delhi's Chandni Chowk

India TV reporter [ Updated 04 Aug 2013, 07:29:38 ]

New Delhi, Aug 4: A 100-year-old dilapidated building housing offices, shops and godowns collapsed on Saturday night in Delhi's Chandni Chowk, triggering off a minor fire. Nobody was injured, police and fire officials said.

The building named B M Shah, bang opposite the famous Gauri Shankar temple in Chandni Chowk, houses several hundred shops, offices and godowns, where crores of rupees worth business used to be transacted.
Local residents said, a portion of the building began to lean on Saturday afternoon and the local municipal corporation officials were informed, but being a weekend, none of the officials turned up.

At around 1 am, the five-storeyed building suddenly started collapsing and police and fire brigade were called in.
A godown inside the building caught fire due to short circuit. Firemen removed the rubble to extinguish the fire.
The remaining front portion of the old building is also on the verge of collapse, with shutters of shops leaning out.

Aug 4, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/3-killed-11-hurt-as-b...

Published: August 5, 2013 13:03 IST | Updated: August 6, 2013 01:15 IST

3 killed, 11 hurt as building under construction collapses in Kengeri

Fire and Emergency Services personnel along with the police involved in rescue operations at the building that collapsed in Kengeri on Monday. Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Three workers were killed and 11 injured when a building under construction collapsed in Kengeri Satellite Town on Monday morning.

The labourers were constructing a three-storey marriage hall at Bandeswamy Math in Kommagatta. The moulding of the second floor’s ceiling was under way when it collapsed. At least 25 workers were on the roof when the accident occurred at around 10 a.m. Some workers fell from the roof while others on the ground floor were trapped under the debris.

Fire and Emergency Services personnel along with advanced rescue vehicles rushed minutes after the collapse. Officials said three bodies had been removed from the debris while a few injured workers were taken to nearby hospitals.

Labourers at the site said over 100 workers from Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka were at work for the last six months. Some 70 workers were on the ground floor mixing cement and doing other work. Some 25 workers were on the roof. Lalchand (30), one of the labourers injured, toldThe Hindu: “All I remember is that the building collapsed and I was trapped under the debris till some people pulled me out.” The injured were rushed to Rajarajeshwari hospital and Shreya hospital nearby.

The victims have been identified as Venkateshappa (40) from Andhra Pradesh, Shivanna (25) from Gulbarga and Sumit Mondal Khapari (24) from Bihar. Shivanna, who was laying the concrete on the roof, came plummeting down while the other two workers were working on the centring and were trapped underneath the debris.

Police suspect a weak centring led to the collapse. A senior official said the centring was built of wood for a height of 25 feet.

This rendered the building unstable, they said. It was a serious case of negligence on the part of the building authorities, the police added. It is owned by the Eka Bilva Bande Veerashaiva Math.

Cases have been booked under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against contractor Krishnamurthy, centring supervisor Murthy, engineer Jagannath Rao and Sachidananda Swami of the Math. Murthy and Krishnamurthy have been arrested.

Aug 5, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

Three killed in building collapse near Agartala

Published: August 7, 2013 18:59 IST | Updated: August 7, 2013 18:59 IST

Three killed in building collapse near Agartala
Three workers were killed after a building collapsed near Agartala city on Wednesday. The incident which left four workers critically wounded occurred at Jogendranagar area in the afternoon.

“Several workers were engaged in construction of a private building at Kumor Para in Jogendranagar. One part of the building suddenly fell as an effect of heavy rains”, a senior fire service official said.

“Three people died at the scene and four were shifted to GB Hospital. The construction method was faulty leading to collapse”, the official added.

Incessant rains lashed other parts of the State. Water logging disrupted normal life and business in Agartala city.

Owner of the house, who was present there when it collapsed, narrowly escaped the tragedy. Fire service personnel could not immediately reach the spot as there was no fire station nearby and fire tenders were called from a city station.

Doctors said emergency medical facilities were extended to the injured workers. The state government has ordered an enquiry into the incident.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/three-killed-in-...

Aug 7, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/two-killed-six-injured-in-building-colla...

Two killed, six injured in building collapse at Bhatta Basti

Press Trust of India | Posted on Aug 10, 2013 at 01:28pm IST

Two persons were killed and six others got injured when a four-storey building collapsed in the Bhatta Basti area of the city on Saturday, while three more persons are feared trapped in the debris, police said.

Two persons were killed and six others were injured when a four-storey building collapsed early in the morning, SHO (Bhatta Basti) Rajesh Kumar said.

http://daily.bhaskar.com/article-ht/RAJ-JPR-disturbing-pics-five-st...

Three other persons are missing and feared trapped in the debris, SHO (Bhatta Basti) Rajesh Kumar said.

Two killed, six injured in building collapse at Bhatta Basti

"A family from Bihar was residing in the building as tenants.

Besides the family members, some of their relatives were also staying with them when the incident took place.

It was not an old building," he said.

"One of the two deceased has been identified as Raju, aged around 30 years. Four injured are being treated at two hospitals whereas two were discharged after primary treatment," he said.

Rescue operations are on to pull out those trapped in the debris, he added.

Aug 12, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://news.oneindia.in/2013/08/19/bangalore-underconstructed-build...

Bangalore: Under-construction building collapses, 20 injured
Bangalore, Aug 19: Twenty people were injured when a five-storey under-construction building caved in at Someshwaranagar in the city at 9:45 am today. Police said that three others are believed to have been trapped in the basement. Police also confirms that a few construction workers are also missing. Immediately after the incident, police and fire-brigade rushed to the spot to undertake rescue operations. The injured were then taken to NIMHANS. Sources reveal that permission was given to construct only 2 stories by BBMP. But, the owner Sameer Mulla went ahead to constructed 6 stories. On further investigations, police held the poor construction quality as the reason for the collapse. It is said that more than 75 people were working at the construction site when the incident happened. While 20 people have been rescued, few are missing or are injured. Additional police commissioner Kamal Panth visited the spot. "Rescue operation and clearance of debris have been acelarated. However, the narrow lane is obstructing the progress," said Panth. In an earlier incident on Aug 5, a building collapsed in Kengeri, claiming the lives of 4 construction workers.

Aug 19, 2013
Howard

7-Storey Building Collapses in Egypt (Aug 25)

Egypt’s official news agency says a seven-story building has collapsed in the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

The Middle East News Agency reported Sunday that an unspecified number of residents are trapped under rubble, in the neighbourhood of Sidi Gaber in the coastal city.

Alexandria witnessed several deadly building collapses this year including a Jan. 16 incident involving an eight-story-tall apartment building that left at least 25 dead.

A similar collapse in July 2012 killed at least nine people, and in October that year, a further four were killed.

Sources

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/08/25/residents-trapped-after-sev...

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/79895/Egypt/Politics-/...

"We have spoken since the early days of ZetaTalk about the stretch zones of the world, where plates are pulling apart. The Red Sea is one of these zones, as is the African Rift, pulling apart as Africa rolls into the Indian Ocean.... Buildings will find their infrastructure shifting beneath them, and will either drop into their foundations or slip sideways into a lean."

ZetaTalk: Alexandria Cables (2008)

Aug 25, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23854724

27 August 2013 Last updated at 11:49 ET

Brazil: Sao Paulo building collapse 'kills seven'

The aftermath of the building collapse in the district of Sao Mateus

A commercial building has collapsed in a suburb of the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo, killing at least seven people and injuring many more, officials say.

Rescue workers have been searching for survivors in the rubble. A fire service spokesman said 11 had been pulled out alive.

They were believed to be among at least 22 people injured when the building collapsed on Tuesday morning.

The two-story building was under construction, according to local media.

Reports said a clothing store was being erected at the site, located in the poor eastern district of Sao Mateus.

'Cautious'

The cause of the collapse is not yet known.

Officials believe about 35 people were in the building when the accident happened at about 08:35 local time (11:35 GMT).

Television pictures showed extensive damage both to the collapsed building and the surrounding area.

"Right now the work is slow, very cautious, because to pull people from the rubble we need a lot of technique and patience," firefighter Marcos Palumbo told Globo TV.

Building collapses of this kind are common in Sao Paulo - Brazil's largest city - and particularly affect structures that are either poorly maintained or still under construction.

Home to 11 million people, Sao Paulo is one of 12 Brazilian host cities for next year's World Cup.

And from another link

http://www.skynews.com.au/world/article.aspx?id=900759

Building collapse in Brazil kills six

Updated: 07:47, Wednesday August 28, 2013

A commercial building in Brazil's biggest city has collapsed, killing at least six people, authorities say.

Another 11 people were pulled alive from the rubble in Sao Paulo, but an unknown number remained trapped below.

Firefighters said it was not yet clear what caused the building to fall.

About 60 firefighters carefully searched the rubble, using dogs to help locate victims.

Nearby vehicles were covered with chunks of concrete let loose as the building fell.

The building was either being built or was under repair.

It was two storeys high.

Firefighter Marcos Palumbo told the Globo TV network that 'right now the work is slow, very cautious, because to pull people from the rubble we need a lot of technique and patience'.

Aug 28, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/Gujarat/2-buildings-collap...

2 buildings collapse in Vadodara; five dead, several trapped

Hindustantimes.com New Delhi, August 28, 2013

First Published: 08:05 IST(28/8/2013)

Five people were killed and 35 feared trapped as two seven-storey residential buildings collapsed in Atladara area of Vadodara district in Gujarat early this morning, according to TV reports.

Rescue operations continue after two buildings collapsed in Atladara, in Vadodara district of Gujarat.(Photo credict: TV grab)

The incident occurred behind Atladara area around 4.30am when the buildings came crashing down, catching the sleeping occupants unawares, HJ Tapariya, chief fire brigade officer of the Vadodara Municipal Corporation said.

Manish Bhardwaj, Vadodara Municipal Commissioner, Satish Sharma, City Police Commissioner and city Mayor Bharat Shah and other senior officials have rushed to the site.

According to Tapariya, about 13 to 14 families were staying there.

"Eight have been evacuated and five bodies found so far" said Vinod Rao, a senior official said.

While several people are believed to be still trapped under the rubble. The rescue operations are going on in full swing.

Two seven-storey residential buildings collapsed in Atladara area in Vadodara district of Gujarat. (Photo credict: TV grab)

The injured have been rushed to SSG hospital for treatment.

Talking to PTI, city mayor Bharat Shah said, "I was admitted to hospital and soon after learning about this mishap, I am on my way to the site.

Aug 28, 2013
Howard

House Collapses in Los Angeles (Aug 30)

A single-family home collapsed Friday night in East Los Angeles.

Raquel Acuna, who lives nearby, said she heard a strange noise outside of her home.

“My son comes running out of the room and says, ‘Mom, the house fell,’ and at the same time, we’re hearing something dragging at the front of the street. He said, ‘The house fell.’ So we come outside. The house is all full of dust,” she said.

The Urban Search & Rescue Team sent specialized dogs inside the structure to make sure no one was trapped.

Los Angeles County fire crews got a call of a downed structure at 519 S. Humphreys Avenue around 8:25 p.m.

Source

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&am...

Aug 31, 2013
Mark

The Guardian today published a special report of the number of building collapses there have been in India including an interactive map:

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/interactive/2013/sep/03/in...

How many people die in building collapses in India? Interactive map

The collapse of two apartment buildings in India's state of Gujarat left 11 dead and dozens trapped last week. We wondered how often accidents like this, which make the news so often, happen on a national scale. Using crime statistics, we found the number of times a house, building, bridge or other structure collapsed in India in 2012 - as well as the injuries and deaths resulting from them.

The result was a staggering indictment of India's architectural safety standards - 2,651 dead and 850 injured from the collapse of 2,737 structures. We've produced an interactive map of the results at state level so you can explore the trends yourself

Sep 3, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.khq.com/story/23359772/building-full-of-antiques-collaps...

Building Full Of Antiques Collapses In Washington State
Posted: Sep 06, 2013 10:23 AM CDTUpdated: Sep 06, 2013 10:23 AM CDT

SPRAGUE, Wash. - Around 5am Friday morning a building full of antiques collapsed in Sprague.

No one was hurt in the collapse but the building looks to be a total loss.

KHQ's Katie Steiner spoke to a fireman who said the building could have collapsed due to the large amount of rainfall on the roof but the exact cause is still being investigated.

A woman nearby who was awake at the time said she heard a large "BOOM," looked outside and just saw a large cloud of smoke.

Sep 6, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/396439/3/Water-line-collapse-cause...

Water line collapse causes 60 foot hole in road

7:46 PM, Sep 5, 2013

ST. LOUIS (KSDK) - Part of a street collapsed Thursday morning in north St. Louis.

Todd Waelterman with the St. Louis Streets Department says around 9 a.m. they were notified of a large hole in the roadway on North Broadway near North Market. He says the hole was caused by the collapse of a private water line for a fire suppression system.

The hole is in the southbound lanes of the road and is approximately 60 feet long and 10 feet wide. An Ameren Missouri conduit and Laclede Gas line were damaged in the incident. A hole was also created in a nearby sewer.

A contractor has arrived at the scene to work on repairing the damaged water line. Gas has been shut off to the damaged gas line. When the water line is repaired, Ameren Missouri, Laclede Gas, and the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District will come in to make their repairs.

The hole is expected to be open for up to two weeks. Right now, North Broadway is completely closed in both directions between North Market and St. Louis Avenue. Traffic is being detoured going one block to the west.

Crews hope to have one lane open in each direction on North Broadway by the weekend.

Sep 6, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.krem.com/news/Library-ceiling-collapses--222696131.html

Another Washington state building collapses, 2 in 1 day

Rain likely causes ceiling collapses at Sprague, Washington Lind Elementary

The owner of the building in Sprague said one of the walls of the structure appeared to be bulging outward days before the roof caved in Friday.

Crews had two big messes to clean up Friday after ceilings collapsed at Lind Elementary School and at a building in Sprague, Washington.

School district officials said part of the ceiling over the Lind Elementary library collapsed Thursday evening after rain caused a drain pipe to break. Lind School District Superintendent Robert Roettger said the drain flowed over the library.

A restoration crew has been hard at work in the library at the elementary school.

"Six o'clock this morning I got a call from the custodian saying we had a leak in the library but it was worse than he had ever seen before,' said Roettger.

No injuries were reported.

School continued as normal for students.

Heavy rainfall was also suspected in the ceiling collapse in the town of Sprague. No injuries were reported in that collapse.

The building's owner said one of the walls of the structure appeared to be bulging outward days before the roof caved in Friday.

The building was over 100 years old.

A man who lived in the building just recently moved out. His friend say he just finished moving out Thursday morning.

"We were in there tow, three days ago and noticed the east wall was boed a little bit and pulled away from the center wall and we were just joking around, 'You got to get out of here. This things gonna come down,'" said Carl Parks whose friend lived in the building.

Sep 7, 2013
Howard

Another Building Collapses in Mumbai, India (Sept 21)
A five-storey residential building housing 42 families collapsed in Mumbra town in Maharashtra Saturday morning.

The building, Banoo Apartments, opposite the busy railway station, was 15-years old. Over 100 people managed to escape before it crashed, said a police official in Mumbra, around 30 km from Mumbai.

An hour before it collapsed, there were indications of the impending disaster as the building started shaking and wobbling.

A majority of the panicky residents chose to evacuate and moved to safety. At least three people are feared trapped under the debris and efforts are on to rescue them.

This is the sixth major building collapse in Mumbai and its neighbouring areas in the past six months. In April, a building collapsed in Lucky Compound in Mumbra, killing 75, and making it the worst such disaster in the state's history. In June, four more buildings crashed in Mahim (10 dead), Mumbra (10 dead), Dahisar (seven dead) and Bhiwandi (three dead).

Sources

http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a407668.html

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1891851/report-second-building-collap...

Sep 21, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

MRT tunnel intact despite road collapse in Chinatown

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/MRT-tunnel-intact-despite-...

KANATHIT SRIHIRUNDEJ
THE NATION September 26, 2013 1:00 am

THE UNDERGROUND tunnel for the MRT's Blue Line extension remains intact even though a part of the road collapsed in Bangkok's Chinatown area, Transport Minister Chadchart Sittipunt said yesterday.

At about 2am yesterday, a bit of the road surface on Charoenkrung Road in front of the Leng Noei Yi Temple (Wat Mangkorn Kammalawat) subsided, leaving a crater at the construction site of the MRT Blue Line's extension route.

"The crater was about 25 centimetres deep initially, but I ordered workers to dig deeper to find out what caused the collapse," construction supervisor Kamol Mahaphon said.

After digging further, his team found that huge water leaks had weakened the area.

"Hence, we have contacted relevant officials, including the Metropolitan Waterworks Authority," Kamol said.

Meanwhile, Chadchart said the MRT tunnel, which is still being constructed, is about 25 metres deep and remains intact. "The tunnel has not been damaged in any way," he reiterated.

Pisitchanon Niwattanakul, a member of the Leng Noei Yi Temple's board, said the road-surface collapse did not affect the monastery.

"The temple is alright with the construction of the MRT extension because it is beneficial to the public," he said.

Sep 26, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/story/23530908/building-partially-collap...

Building Partially Collapses In South Philly
Posted: Sep 25, 2013 5:19 PM CDTUpdated: Sep 25, 2013 5:22 PM CDT

SkyFOX went over a developing story in South Philadelphia.

That's where crews are hard at work after the partial collapse of this building on 1900 Morris St.

The incident happened around 5:12pm Wednesday.

There have been no reports of serious injury, but part of the building was occupied

Sep 26, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://theadvocate.com/home/7156582-125/storage-dome-collapses-at-n...

Storage dome collapses at Nucor; no explosion, injuries

September 25, 2013

CONVENT — One of three iron ore storage domes at the Nucor Corp. plant in St. James Parish suffered a structural failure and collapsed Wednesday, just weeks before the plant was to start production after more than two years of construction.

The collapsed beige dome, which looked like a deflated balloon Wednesday afternoon at Nucor’s site along the Mississippi River, did not result in fires, explosions, release of hazardous materials or injuries, authorities said.

Company officials are investigating the cause of the collapse of the storage dome, which is at Nucor’s direct reduced iron plant, according to Katherine Miller, spokeswoman for the Charlotte, N.C., company.

The $750 million plant will use natural gas to convert iron ore pellets into direct reduced iron once in production.

DRI is a basic building block used in Nucor’s electric arc furnaces to make steel, according to state air permit requests.

“The impact the collapse of the storage dome may have on the startup date for the DRI plant will not be known until the extent of the damage can be assessed,” she said in a statement.

The reduced iron plant is the first of several phases in a planned $3.4 billion steel complex that would employ 1,250 people.

Three iron ore storage domes sit in a row on Nucor’s 4,000-acre site. A conveyor system is connected to the tops of each dome. The part of the conveyor over the deflated dome was bent Wednesday, creating a kink in the connection between the other two domes and parts of the plant closer to the river.

The iron ore is delivered by ship and unloaded with a conveyor system, air permit requests say.

Before the collapse Wednesday, the DRI plant was undergoing “hot commissioning,” which is a series of trial runs ahead of the planned startup, company officials have said.

Plant manager Lester Hart said construction and hot commissioning continues despite the collapse.

“We are still continuing the construction, but we just don’t know if or what impact this will have on our startup,” he said.

He said it was too soon to say what effect the damaged conveyor system might have on plant operations.

St. James Parish officials said in a statement they received a 911 call of “an explosion” at the plant at 3:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Firefighters from Paulina and Convent and other emergency response agencies rushed to the scene but were recalled once officials realized a structural failure had occurred, according to Eric Deroche, parish director of homeland security and emergency preparedness.

The domes are made of concrete but have a fabric skin and contain iron ore, which is not a hazardous material, he said.

Workers could be seen leaving the plant Wednesday afternoon as emergency vehicles and fire trucks drove off after getting an all clear signal.

St. James Parish Sheriff Willy Martin speculated the collapse may have sounded like an explosion, leading to the initial 911 call and early news accounts of an explosion.

Some residents living near the plant along River Road said they were not aware of the problems at the plant Wednesday and had not heard anything.

Once in full operation, the DRI plant will produce 2.5 million tons of direct reduced iron per year, making it the largest DRI plant of its kind in the world and the first operating in the nation in several years.

Low natural gas prices played a role in Nucor’s use of DRI technology.

The DRI plant, which officials broke ground on in early March 2011, is the first of five phases that Nucor may build to create a $3.4 billion integrated steel mill in Convent.

Nucor officials had said Wednesday, before the collapse, that after startup in “the next few weeks,” production would ramp up during the fourth quarter of 2013 and that the DRI plant would be fully operational by the start of the year.

The company has already hired 140 people to work in the DRI plant and aimed to reach its planned 150-employee mark a year ahead of a 2015 goal, company officials said.

Sep 26, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo
http://dailypost.com.ng/2013/09/26/lasema-confirms-three-persons-de...

LASEMA confirms three persons dead, 10 injured after building collapses in Lagos

By Daily Post Staff on September 26, 2013
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) on Thursday confirmed that three persons died on Wednesday night following the collapse of two residential buildings on Lagos Island.

The LASEMA General Manager, Mr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, told newsmen in Ikeja that 10 persons were also injured in the incident which occurred at about 11.30 p.m.

Oke-Osanyintolu said the incident occurred when a three-storey building located on Alli Street, Lagos Island, collapsed on a bungalow beside it.

He said his men with other emergency response officials had to dig into the rubble to remove the dead victims and the injured.

According to him, the injured are being treated at an undisclosed public hospital while the remains of the dead victims have been deposited at the hospital morgue.

Oke-Osanyintolu, who said the cause of the collapse had not been ascertained, noted that a number of distressed buildings had been identified in the area.

“We will carry out investigation to ascertain the cause of the incident. Commissioners and emergency officials were on ground early today to really find out what happened.

“We are studying the situation, and we will definitely unravel the cause,’’ he said.

He said no fewer than 10 cases of building collapse had been recorded on the Island this year alone.

The general manager urged residents to subject their buildings to structural testing by the appropriate government agency to help address the problem.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Babatunde Fashola, had on May 19, inaugurated a Tribunal of Enquiry on Building Collapse in the state, with the mandate to ascertain the causes of the menace and make recommendations.

The six-man committee, which has since commenced work, is yet to submit its reports to the state government. (NAN)
Sep 26, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

Two buildings in Lagos collapsed today

Another link: http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/09/26/2-buildings-collapse-in-lagos/

2 Buildings Collapse In Lagos

Published on September 26, 2013 by pmnews · 1 Comment

Two persons have died and 10 others injured as two buildings collapsed on Lagos Island, southwest Nigeria, on Wednesday night.

A three-storey building at 15, Alli Street, collapsed at about 11.00 pm and fell on a bungalow at number 13 of the same street, leading to its collapse.

The cause of the collapse was not immediately ascertained but it is suspected that the three-storey building may be distressed as hundreds of distressed buildings have been uncovered on Lagos Island.

It was gathered that rescue operation was carried out by combined team of government officials, youths and members of the Community Development Association in the area.

•Scene of two buildings that collapsed last night on Lagos Island. PHOTO: Ayo Efunla

Officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA and the Lagos State Fire Service were on ground for the rescue operation which continued till Thursday morning.

General Manager, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu told P.M.NEWS that two persons died in the collapsed buildings, saying that the three-storey building caved in between 10 and 11 p.m. last night.

“The building collapsed on top of a bungalow next to it. Emergency response was activated with all stakeholders on ground. 10 people were evacuated and taken to the General Hospital and Massey Hospital.

“Two dead bodies were recovered and have been deposited in the morgue as emergency response is still ongoing,” he stated.

Oke-Osanyintolu added that investigation was ongoing to ascertain the cause of the collapse.

According to him, LASEMA rescue team had reached the ground floor as nobody was still strapped in the rubble.

“We will carry out our investigation to ascertain the cause of the collapse. The commissioners for Physical Planning and Urban Development and Special Duties are on ground. We have cordoned off the area,” he said.

In the last nine months, over 10 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, with Lagos Island topping the list of collapsed buildings.

Sep 26, 2013
Derrick Johnson
Watch out for the dip in the road! Massive 33-year-old interstate bridge is closed after it starts SAGGING in the middle
- 400-foot section of Wisconsin bridge suddenly sags
- State officials close the bridge before anyone gets hurt
- The bridge isn't in danger of collapse, state officials say
A 400-foot section of a bridge in Wisconsin has been closed after a motorist noticed the bridge was beginning to sag.

The Leo Frigo Bridge suddenly began to dip forcing police to close off the span that carries Interstate 43 over the Fox River some 120 feet below.

‘There's a part that's sagging,’ a driver told a 911 operator.

‘A part that's sagging?’ the operator asked.

‘Instead of a bump, it's a dip,’ the driver said.

‘It's a big hassle, because of all the construction that's going around town,’ said Dennis Kelln of Green Bay. ‘The downtown bridge was closed for how long? Now this one is out? It's just like it's a never-ending problem here.’

Governor Scott Walker spoke on the closure Wednesday afternoon during a press conference.

'It's a key transportation link in the area,' Walker said. 'Our #1 priority is and will continue to be ensuring the absolute safety of the public.'

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has set up detours in the meantime.

The DOT doesn't have a timeline or a price tag on fixing the bridge just yet.

Governor Walker promised repairs will happen, whatever the cost.

'Once we know the full details of what's required to fix this bridge, we will fix this bridge,' the governor said, 'because it's not only important to Brown County, it's also important to the State of Wisconsin.'

Governor Walker said the Interstate-43 bridge over the Fox River is 'vitally important' to commerce in Northeast Wisconsin and Michigan but that the safety of people who would be on or around the bridge will be the primary factor in determining how long the bridge will be closed.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2433876/Wisconsin-Leo-Frigo...
Sep 27, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

Scores Feared Trapped in Collapse of Mumbai Building - India, September 27

Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Residential Building Collapses in Mumbai: The scene Friday was a chaotic pile of broken steel and concrete rubble, with more than two dozen fire trucks and at least 15 ambulances on the streets.

MUMBAI, India — Scores of people were feared trapped or dead after a five-story residential building collapsed early Friday morning, the fifth deadly collapse this year in and around Mumbai, a city with crumbling housing infrastructure and poor building standards. At least 11 people were confirmed dead.

The authorities said it was too early to determine the exact cause of the collapse or the number of people trapped or dead inside the structure, the Babu Genu Market building. Onlookers said the building had more than 100 residents, nearly all of whom were probably home when the structure fell. The building was about 30 years old, officials said.

The scene Friday was a chaotic pile of broken steel and concrete rubble, with more than two dozen fire trucks and at least 15 ambulances on the streets.

“The building collapsed suddenly at 6 a.m. this morning,” said Tanaji Ghodge, a deputy police commissioner. “We don’t know how many people will come out of the rubble yet. The rescue operation is going on in full force.”

Babu Gupta, a sound engineer who lives next door, said the building had about 24 occupied one-room apartments, each with four to eight residents, underscoring the dangerous overcrowding in many buildings in Mumbai.

“There were many people in that building whom I was friends with,” Mr. Gupta said. “We often played cricket together on this street. There is Parmar, there is Jadhav, there are so many others. There must be at least 15 of my friends in that building. There is no news of them yet.”

Murli Khadpekar, a neighbor, said he heard a “loud bang” at 5:53 a.m. and came running out to see that the building’s huge rooftop water tank had come crashing down, and that the building had collapsed. The building was mostly occupied by city trash collectors and laborers, he said.

Hundreds of police officers, firefighters, dockyard workers and neighbors crowded around the site of the collapse Friday in the kind of chaotic scramble that is routine after such disasters in India. Police officials tried to clear the area of bystanders. Neighbors watched from balconies and terraces overlooking the spot of the collapse.

Dr. Habbu Jadav, the superintendent of a nearby hospital, said that 25 people had been brought in with injuries as of 8 p.m. Friday and that there were 11 deaths. Family members surrounded hospital officials asking if their relatives were among the dead or injured. Among them was Akhilesh Shinghade, a Mumbai city official who was pacing the hospital waiting area hoping for news of his wife, who is eight months pregnant and had been staying in the collapsed building with her parents.

He said there had been five people in the house: his wife, Namita, and her grandmother, parents and sister. “None of them have been found as yet,” he said.

Deepteesh Kadam, 16, was admitted to the hospital with a fractured left clavicle after he shimmied out of the building through a small gap. He had been sleeping in his family’s third-floor apartment when the building fell.

“I got out, but I could not find my brother,” he said.

In April, an illegally constructed building in a Mumbai suburb collapsed and killed 74 people, the deadliest such episode in decades. Two more episodes followed in June, killing 19 people together. In July, the Bhiwandi garment factory collapsed, killing six people. Other collapses in India have included a hospital in Bhopal in April.

The collapses highlight problems with India’s housing stock and construction standards. Many of the structures that dot Mumbai’s skyline are crumbling and date from the country’s independence in 1947, when they were hurriedly built as part of the city’s emergence as a commercial hub.

Mumbai’s buildings department is known for its corruption, and bribing inspectors and other government officials is considered part of the normal cost of doing business. One result is that many buildings are visibly crumbling. Another problem is rent-control rules that allow tenants to live in apartments for a few dollars a month and even pass those rights on to their descendants, giving landlords little incentive to invest in building maintenance. The city requires extensive approvals for even minor repairs, a process so cumbersome that repairs are often either delayed or done illegally and without consultation from engineers.

India is one of the only countries in the world where buildings as tall as six stories are constructed using a small-batch process of mixing concrete by hand, rather than having trucks deliver premixed concrete. The quality of the concrete can vary considerably with hand-mixing, while premixed concrete is of more uniform quality.

In most of the world, structures more than two stories high require premixed concrete not only because of government rules but also because few other places can find workers willing to carry loads of concrete by hand up more than one or two flights of stairs. In India and Bangladesh, workers routinely carry such loads up five or more flights.

Sheetal Shinde stood at a nearby tea stall with tears in her eyes looking at the rescue operation. “There are five of my relatives in that building,” she said. “They are still trapped inside.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/28/world/asia/scores-feared-trapped-...

photo link to Mumbai building collapse. http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/27/20720293-survivors-pu...

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/09/27/india-building-...

Dozens feared trapped in the rubble of the five-story building.

MUMBAI, India (AP) — Rescuers pulled a small girl alive from a collapsed apartment building in India's financial capital nearly 12 hours after the structure caved in Friday, killing at least eight people and leaving dozens trapped under the rubble.

A cheer erupted from hundreds of onlookers who began chanting "baby, baby" when rescuers working in a drizzling rain plucked the young girl out of a tunnel dug through the rubble. At least 32 people were rescued, but more than 30 others were still missing and the search continued, said Alok Awasthi, local commander of the National Disaster Response Force.

Friday's disaster was the third deadly building collapse in six months in Mumbai, in a country where shoddy construction and lax inspections make such disasters all too common.

Relatives of the missing wailed and clung to one another, as heavy machinery lifted the largest slabs of concrete away. Dozens of workers hacked away with crowbars at the flattened remains of what was once a five-story building.

Eight people were confirmed dead by late afternoon, Awasthi said.

"We will work all night. We'll work 24/7 without stopping until everyone is found," he said, adding that additional rescue teams from the nearby city of Pune had been called in to assist.

The building collapsed just after 6 a.m. near Dockyard Road in Mumbai's southeast.

Awasthi said it was owned by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corp., the city's municipal government, and that most of the people who lived in its 22 apartments were city employees.

Mumbai has already seen two similar disasters this year.

At least 72 people died in April when an illegally constructed building fell down, and in June, at least 10 people, including five children, died when a three-story building collapsed.

Across India, buildings falling down have become relatively common. Massive demand for housing around India's fast-growing cities combined with pervasive corruption often result in contractors cutting corners by using substandard materials or adding unauthorized floors.

Sep 27, 2013
SongStar101

Two people killed after crane collapses in Singapore

Oct 3, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/ceiling-wall-of-shopping-outle...

CLOSE CALL: Incident happened just hours before it was to open for business

ALOR STAR: THE ceiling and wall of a brand-new warehouse-cum- shopping outlet in Jitra collapsed yesterday, sending tonnes of debris crashing onto the shopping area.

Disaster, however, was averted as the incident occurred hours before it was opened for business.

The structure of the Cmart Wholesale mall, located within the Kompleks Darulaman Industry, gave way at 8.40am yesterday, and caved in onto the mall's clothing and shoe section.

The incident occurred less than three months after it was opened to the public on July 25.

A maintenance worker, Abdul Rohim Talib, 33, and his colleague had started their rounds at the building when he heard a loud cracking sound and saw the ceiling crumble to the ground.

" We then saw the ceiling crash down onto the clothing and footwear section, followed by the wall structure."

Rohim, who was visibly shaken by the incident, said he alerted his superior to order the hypermarket workers to leave the area.

Jitra Fire and Rescue Department operation chief Mohamed Darus said the hypermarket operator had been ordered to temporarily cease its operation to allow investigation at the site.

Kubang Pasu district officer Zahari Ismail said the developer of the complex had breached its building approval condition by renting out the building to the hypermarket operator.

He said the developer had also leased out the building without obtaining the certificate of fitness (CF) approval.

www.nst.com.my/w1.nst.com.my/polopoly_fs/1.371831.1381252000!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_454/ximage.jpg.pagespeed.ic.FxM4lv-_4_.webp"/>
The warehouse-cum-shopping outlet in Jitra after the collapse yesterday. Pic by Lim Poh Chin

Oct 9, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/delhi-multistorey-building-collapses-one...

map link: http://news.oneindia.in/new-delhi/building-collapses-in-azad-market...

Delhi: Multi-storey building collapses, one dead, two injured

A multi-storey building collapsed near the Bara Hindu Rao area of Delhi on Wednesday morning. One person has died and at least two have been injured. More people are still feared trapped inside. Four fire tenders have been sent to the spot. Ambulances were also sent to the spot. Rescue operations have been hampered by the fact that the lanes are very congested. WSources say that most buildings in that area are close to 150 years old. Rescue operations have been hampered by the fact that the lanes are very congested.

Oct 9, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-building-evac...

11:24 p.m. CDT, October 11, 2013

60 evacuated after Edgewater Beach roof collapse

Sixty occupants of a 4-plus-1 apartment building in the Edgewater Beach neighborhood were evacuated after part of the building's roof collapsed Friday evening, officials said.

The Chicago Fire Department ordered the evacuation of 60 residents, 22 of whom will be assisted by the Salvation Army in finding another place to stay, according to the fire department. As of 10:45 p.m. the building was secured and the scene has been turned over to the Chicago Police.

Fire officials ordered 46 apartments in the five-story brick apartment building evacuated after the rear part of the roof collapsed on the building in the 5900 block of North Kenmore Avenue, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Juan Hernandez.
Fire crews were called to the scene about 6:50 p.m. to investigate, and members of the fire company and the District Chief who arrived on scene quickly determined part of the roof had collapsed on the building, which is about 75 feet wide by 75 feet long, Hernandez said.

A cause was still being investigated, but fire officials said it appeared a crew working on the building moved too much equipment to one spot on the roof. Preliminary Buildings Department investigation indicates that the contractor, whose crew was doing some sort of roof repair, may have put a load of materials all in one place, overloading the roof, said department spokesman Bill McCaffrey.

Crews from Peoples Gas and ComEd were on-scene, and officials are awaiting an inspection by city Buildings Departmetn inspectors, Hernandez said.

There were no reports of injuries, according to Hernandez and Police News Affairs.
Oct 12, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.ubalert.com/KH8b?open_ctab=1

Building Collapse in Northwest China Buries 5, Injures 16 Others

XINING -- Local officials said five people were buried while 16 others were injured on Saturday afternoon when a building collapsed in Qinghai Province. The incident took place at around 2:30 p.m. (local time) at a construction site in the district of Da Qaidam in Haixi Autonomous Prefecture. Rescue efforts are ongoing and the cause of the tragedy is already under investigation.

14 hours ago

Oct 13, 2013
Recall 15

Building Collapse in Colombia: 13 oct 2013 | 4:30 GMT

Tower 6 of Space Building was affected on el Poblado County , 12 workers missing..

A 22-story residential building collapsed in Colombia's second-largest city, killing one person, injuring two and leaving 10 others unaccounted for, authorities said Sunday.

The building collapsed Saturday night in Medellin, according to the office of Claudia Patricia Restrepo, the temporary mayor.

Officials evacuated 24 families from the building Friday after they noticed cracks.

Construction workers inside the building at the time of the collapse were among the missing, according to the mayor.

After the incident, authorities evacuated residents of nearby buildings as a security measure.

From:

http://actualidad.rt.com/actualidad/view/108329-desplomar-edificio-...

http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/medellin/ARTICULO-WEB-NEW_NOTA_INT...

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/13/world/americas/colombia-building-coll...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/colombian-top-pros...

Oct 13, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://freepresskashmir.com/scores-injured-in-kulgam-building-colla...

KULGAM: At least 50 people including 17 women were injured after a rented Government school building collapsed in Nagam village of South Kashmir's ...

Oct 13, 2013
Kojima

Thanks Recall 15, A sign of South America Roll.

Oct 14, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

link for Blue Ridge pkwy. road collapse

http://www.news-record.com/news/article_2752bcd8-35fe-11e3-89aa-001...

5 miles of Blue Ridge Parkway closed after road fails

Posted: Tuesday, October 15, 2013 8:59 pm | Updated: 9:07 pm, Tue Oct 15, 2013.

DEEP GAP — Federal officials have closed a five-mile section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in the North Carolina mountains after the road failed.

Rangers said they closed the road between milepost 276 and milepost 281 on Tuesday. The section of the parkway is between the U.S. Highway 421 intersection and the Old U.S. Highway 421 intersection near Boone.

Officials say they don’t know how long it will take to fix the road. They did indicate the repairs will happen despite the federal government shutdown.

The Blue Ridge Parkway offers sweeping views of the mountains and is especially popular in the fall when the leaves change colors.

Oct 17, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo

http://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/rains-cause-kzn-bridge-road-collapse...

Rains cause KZN bridge, road collapse

October 29 2013 at 03:15pm

Durban - Construction workers scrambled to safety and helped to avert tragedy by diverting traffic when part of a bridge and road collapsed during heavy rains in Hillcrest on Monday.

The workers guided the morning rush hour away from the area after part of Inanda Road, near to where it crosses over a railway line, collapsed, leaving a 12m deep sinkhole in the lane leaving Hillcrest.

Construction crews had been working in the area, where a new bridge and two additional lanes are being built.

Engineers rejected speculation that nearby excavations might have caused the collapse, instead blaming the incident on exceptionally high rainfall.

No injuries or damage to equipment were reported.

According to contractors at the site, who wished to remain anonymous, cracks first appeared on the road surface, allowing water to seep through, and washing the sand from underneath it.

The rest of the stretch of road collapsed about 30 minutes later.

They said there was plenty of support for the side of the road during the excavations, insisting that the collapse could not have been foreseen.

One of the contractors said he had arrived for work earlier than usual and heard a loud “whoosh” sound before the road collapsed.

His immediate reaction was to stop motorists from driving over the bridge, he said.

Secure Link community watch spokesman, Steven King, said contractors put up construction cones on the bridge to divert traffic.

City engineers are working on a plan to repair the damage.

eThekwini Municipality spokesman, Thabo Mofokeng, said the road had been earmarked for an upgrade from Old Main and Link roads to Waterfall.

He referred enquiries to the provincial roads department, whose spokesman was unavailable at the time of publication.

The municipality’s Emergency Control and Disaster Management Unit’s preliminary report on the weekend weather indicate the entire municipality was affected by the rain, with the south, western and northern areas bearing the brunt.

Part of Inanda Road in Hillcrest, near the bridge that crosses the railway line, collapsed on Monday, apparently due to heavy rains.

Oct 29, 2013
Starr DiGiacomo
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/19634913/floor-failur...

Floor failure forces pub to shut bar

The West Australian November 1, 2013, 8:29 am
The West Australian ©

The upstairs bar at The Flying Scotsman pub in Mt Lawley has been closed indefinitely after people were evacuated because of a structural fault.

About 120 people were attending the launch of the Beaufort Street Festival at the Defectors Bar on Wednesday night when part of the floor shifted and appeared to collapse.

City of Vincent mayor John Carey, who was at the launch, said the crowd was gathered around for speeches when a loud thud was heard about 7.30pm. "It sounded like a truck had run into the side of the building," he said. "Then the glass bar shelves just shattered and collapsed on to the floor.

"People standing on a particular sector of the floor said they felt it come out from beneath them."

Mr Carey said despite initial confusion and shock, people evacuated the building in a co-operative and calm manner and no one was hurt.

The council's planning and compliance officers attended the Beaufort Street bar yesterday to inspect the damage.

A Building Act notice has been issued and the top floor will remain closed until an engineering compliance certificate is lodged with the council. This is expected to take about a week.

The downstairs pub area will remain open.

Mr Carey commended staff for their quick response in evacuating patrons and co-operating with the council. "We are now just making sure we go through all the processes properly to ensure that the bar is made safe again," he said.
The owner of the bar could not be reached for comment.
Nov 1, 2013