Engineer: Heavy summer rainfall may have contributed to building collapse
South Union Township had not received any complaints about an apartment building that collapsed Tuesday afternoon to prompt an inspection, said Supervisor Bob Schiffbauer.
Tenants were rescued from their 474 South Mount Vernon Avenue Extension apartments after the floor of a vacant upstairs unit collapsed into an occupied unit at about 3:30 p.m. during heavy rainfall. Four people were rescued, and two of those people were taken to Uniontown Hospital. Seven people were left homeless in the collapse.
John Over, K2 Engineering owner and engineer, will take a closer look at the building today to see what factors, if any, may have contributed to the building’s collapse. The age of the building, which appeared to be built in the early 1900s, and ground water due to frequent heavy rainfalls may have factored into the collapse, he said.
“We’ve certainly had a weather pattern in southwestern Pennsylvania that’s not common to Pennsylvania, and it certainly has strained the infrastructure,” he said.
Schiffbauer said complaints are typically made between a landlord and a tenant. If a complaint is made to the township, engineers will inspect the structure.
The building is old and water damage may have contributed the the partial collapse, he said.
“It’s a pretty old building,” he said. “I know there have always been some drainage problems there. It’s at the bottom of the hill and there is a lot of surface water that comes down. There are water pipes.”
He added supervisors were surprised by the collapse.
The township’s engineering company, K2 Engineering, is expected to assess the building today.
“There is no doubt the building is going to have to be demolished,” he said, adding there are safety concerns with the partially collapsed building. Tenants will likely be permitted to salvage property before the demolition, he said.