Community Corner
Report: Repair of Westfield Parking Garage Delayed
The construction of a Westfield Montgomery mall parking garage that partially collapsed last May has been delayed while safety and accountability issues are addressed, The Washington Post reported.
Construction on a Westfield Montgomery mall parking garage has been put on hold while Montgomery County investigate why the garage partially collapsed in May, The Washington Post reported.
"County officials ... said they are still awaiting an analysis of why a 50,000-pound slab of concrete gave way in the garage at the Westfield Montgomery mall on May 23. But they said their immediate concern is safety at the fenced-off site, where work has been at a standstill since the accident," The Post reported.
The structural engineer balked at submitting a report on the condition of the garage before the partial collapse. Late last month, Westfield LLC—the owner of the mall—hired an engineering consultant to "[help] compile a repair plan," The Post added.
The partial collapse of the garage—which was under construction—killed one man and severely injured another, Patch reported.
Carroll Dexter Wills, 57, of Prince Frederick, MD, was killed, according to county police, Patch reported. Another man, who survived, was trapped for four hours before rescuers could free him, said Assistant Chief Scott Graham, a Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service spokesman.
Read more about the accountability issues surrounding the incident on The Post's website.
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