PA - Building collapses in Philadelphia

[Filly]

I see this happened close to the world-famous Mütter Museum.

Indeed.

Weirder than Mutter is how flippin Market Street only goes one way when ya get to around those parts.

 

[Filly]

I can't imagine demolishing a building with the building next door occupied... is this how its done in the city? God bless the victims.

WagaraTapaTalk

People do whatever they want here.

 

[Filly]

Ok. this article says he was a backhoe operator. (maybe a backhoe and crane operator are the same? Link calls it crane, article calls it backhoe)

Lots of info at the link below.
http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Crane-Operator-Had-Drugs-in-His-System--210608021.html

Sean Benschop, 42, will face six counts of involuntary manslaughter as well as counts of risking a catastrophe and reckless endangerment for his role in the collapse, sources say.

Philadelphia Police detectives raided Benschop's home along the 4900 block of North 7th Street in the Olney section of Philadelphia around 4:30 p.m. Friday

Benschop's whereabouts are currently unknown. Neighbors tell NBC10 that investigators were asking them if they had seen the man. Neighbors replied they hadn't seen him in some time.

Benschop is a convicted felon and lists himself as self-employed, sources say.

He also listed himself just plain and frank under "demolition". He says he went to school in Guyana. So he says. Maybe he was born in Guyana? Who knows?

Honestly, he could have walked past those neighbors ten minutes ago and nobody would say they saw him.

Bless the poor people that are now missing their loved ones. Prayers for those suffering in the hospital.

 

[Filly]

Here's his Google Account




https://plus.google.com/108621095357325193746/photos



Demolition Philadelphia Georgetown Guyana

O.K. so I wouldn't have hired him to mow my lawn.

 

[Filly]

Here's an article from back in March about how quickly the owner "Basciano" knocked down "The Forum" *advertiser censored* theater and plans for knocking down the rest of his buildings joining it.

That is scarry in hindsight.



http://blog.philadelphiarealestate.com/tag/richard-basciano/


FWIW we had two firefighters die when a wall collapsed on them next door to a fire only months ago. One a veteran firefighter and the other a very young man who is the son of a firefighter. Yet the Mayor won't work with them to get a d*m* decent contract.

 

[LadyL]

the victims:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Philadelphia_building_collapse_victims_What_we_know.html

 

[Filly]

Besides drug, theft, firearms, and assault charges Benschop was in TRAFFIC COURT sixteen times.




http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20130607_Excavator_operator___Nothing_I_can_say_right_now_.html

Driving a da*n car without a license and drives a wrecking machine that kills people and buried people, and left their loved ones to mourn.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Crane Operator Surrenders

http://abcnews.go.com/US/crane-oper...delphia-building-collapse/t/story?id=19356293

 

[Filly]

PAFA mourns loss of Anne Bryan




http://www.pafa.org/About/Press-Room/Press-Room/1003/month--201306/vobid--10060/



Beautiful, gifted, talented young lady.

Miss Bryan's mother Nancy Winkler is Philadelphia's Treasurer.

 

[gm8549]

Just this morning. Says L&I inspector found dead of apparent suicide. Gunshot to the chest ?

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Reports_Collapse_LI_inspector_found_dead.html

 

[MsFacetious]

Ronald Wagenhoffer, 52, was found shot in the chest in a pickup truck around 9 p.m. Wednesday. A longtime employee with the Department of Licenses and Inspections, Wagenhoffer had inspected the building May 14 and signed off on demolition work underway, after getting complaints about the site from the public, Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison said.

-------------------

"With the building collapse a week ago, we have now lost seven lives in connection with this tragedy," Gillison said at a news conference, adding that Wagenhoffer leaves behind a wife and son. "This man did nothing wrong. The department did what it was supposed to do."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/06/1...ommits-suicide/?intcmp=trending#ixzz2W7Z8kgv3

 

[Confusion]

A little off topic but of the same type subject.

Another building collapsed in Minnesota this morning!

What the heck is going on?



Building collapses in Minneapolis

http://www.kwch.com/news/kwch-jab-building-collapses-in-minneapolis-20130607,0,624466.story

I just wanted to point out that this wasn't in Minnesota; it was in Minneapolis, Kansas. I never knew there was another Minneapolis anywhere before reading this.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news...apsed-Building-Commits-Suicide-211320781.html


Inspector of Collapsed Building Says "It Was My Fault," Commits Suicide

Lead building inspector Ronald Wagenhoffer left a video message for family before taking his life

 

[Uberfairy]

Something isn't right here. I don't think Wagenhoffer committed suicide, if he made a video saying it wasn't his fault. No matter how upset he was over the deaths of the people, if he knew it wasn't his fault, because the contractor didn't notify inspectors that demolition was beginning, then he wouldn't kill himself. Did authorities check his cell phone for fingerprints on the keys?
Also, if everyone watching the demolition could tell a problem was in the works, why didn't the contractor?

 

[Uberfairy]

Something isn't right here. I don't think Wagenhoffer committed suicide, if he made a video saying it wasn't his fault. No matter how upset he was over the deaths of the people, if he knew it wasn't his fault, because the contractor didn't notify inspectors that demolition was beginning, then he wouldn't kill himself. Did authorities check his cell phone for fingerprints on the keys?
Also, if everyone watching the demolition could tell a problem was in the works, why didn't the contractor?

What am I saying? Of course there wouldn't be any fingerprints on the phone keypad other than his. If he made a video, why couldn't it have been at gunpoint or other threat? I still don't believe it was a suicide. It doesn't make sense.

 

[jjenny]

Something isn't right here. I don't think Wagenhoffer committed suicide, if he made a video saying it wasn't his fault. No matter how upset he was over the deaths of the people, if he knew it wasn't his fault, because the contractor didn't notify inspectors that demolition was beginning, then he wouldn't kill himself. Did authorities check his cell phone for fingerprints on the keys?
Also, if everyone watching the demolition could tell a problem was in the works, why didn't the contractor?

Maybe you should read it again. He never said it wasn't his fault in the video.
It's the opposite. He said it was his fault in the video.

 

[Filly]

"Some" documents released show violations prior to building collapse.


http://www.philly.com/philly/news/2...g_collapse__continues_to_withhold_others.html

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Caught on camera: Terrifying moment a building collapsed in downtown Philadelphia killing six people


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...g-collapsed-killing-people.html#ixzz2ZalnikfS

 

[Reader]

Murder charges in fatal building collapse

The demolition contractor in June's disastrous collapse of a Center City building has been charged with six counts of third-degree murder, District Attorney Seth Williams announced Monday.

Williams said Griffin Campbell was "motivated by greed" - trying to maximize the salvage value of building materials - and elected not to use the safe but more labor-intensive way of razing the building at 2136 Market St......

Williams said an investigating grand jury is still looking into the collapse and other people could be charged......

In addition to third-degree murder, Campbell was charged with six counts of involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of reckless endangerment, causing and risking a catastrophe and criminal conspiracy........

Williams said prosecutors would ask that Campbell be held without bail pending trial because of the seriousness of the charges, which could put him in prison for life. Campbell surrendered to Central Detectives Monday afternoon.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/2...al_building_collapse.html#udRlGQOvVIG1qlhV.99

The GJ Presentment:
http://media.philly.com/documents/market+street+collapse+grand+jury+presentment.pdf

 

[OkieGranny]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/2...ial_for_two_building-collapse_defendants.html

The two men charged with six counts of murder in the Market Street building collapse in June 2013 will be tried together, a judge ruled yesterday...

A trial date will be announced at a Sept. 24 hearing, said Lerner, who also imposed a gag order on the cases' attorneys, preventing them from talking to the press unless the yet-to-be-named trial judge lifts the order.