1 Dead, 2 Missing After Controversial Parking Garage Collapses In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA — One person was dead and two others were unaccounted for after a parking garage under construction collapsed Wednesday afternoon in South Philadelphia, officials confirmed later that night.

The collapse happened just after 2:15 p.m. inside a stairwell of the garage under development on Grays Ferry Avenue, near 30th Street.

One person was rescued and taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m., Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a news conference livestreamed Wednesday night on Facebook by the city.

Two others who were rescued were treated and released, according to Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson, while two more remain unaccounted for.

"We are not, we will not give up on these individuals and we will not rest until everyone is accounted for from this tragedy,” Parker said.

There were 25 workers inside during the collapse, said Rachel Cunningham, a spokesperson for the Philadelphia Fire Department. Rescue teams were searching on Wednesday for two people in the rubble, but the rest of the workers evacuated.

The collapse was contained to the 30th Street side of the stair tower, where all seven levels of the stair system failed, according to Parker. A subcontractor, identified by Parker as Precast Services Inc., was in the process of installing concrete floor decking and roof segments when a segment failed and fell to the level below, triggering a progressive collapse.

The garage is under construction to expand employee parking for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). The facility has been heavily protested by residents and activists, who contend it puts residents at further risk of asthma and cancer in an area burdened by environmental racism.

Eight permits were required and properly issued for the project, and all inspections were up to date, Parker said, adding the general contractor was HSC Builder & Construction Managers.

The city's Department of Licenses and Inspections is investigating the incident, according to Parker, who said all contractors and subcontractors will be audited.

The hospital said in a prepared statement that it was "aware of a serious construction incident at our parking garage construction site."

"We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners," the statement said.

City officials warned that the incident will impact commutes and business activity in the area, with Grays Ferry Avenue to be closed from 29th to 33rd streets and a shopping plaza in the area to be shut down as well. People were warned to stay away.

The No CHOP Garage Coalition, a group that has stood against the facility, called the collapse "horrific." The group plans to hold a protest at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.

"Grays Ferry residents know this garage is unsafe for our children and families - now everyone sees that it's unsafe for the workers too," the group wrote on Instagram.