Building Collapse at 22nd and Market: Latest News
[Updated June 6, 9:27 a.m.] PHOTOS: The search for missing bodies appears to be over this morning. Officials say six people died in the collapse. Also, one survivor, a woman, was rescued just before midnight and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
[Updated 10:30 p.m.] WATCH: Here’s demolition video of the construction site taken a few days before the collapse.
[Updated 10:20 p.m.]
Senior law enforcement official confirms to the Inquirer that five people have died in the building collapse.
— Philly Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) June 6, 2013
[Updated 7 p.m.] The mayor gave a briefing this evening. NewsWorks covered:
At least one person died and 13 were injured when a building at 22nd and Market streets in Philadelphia collapsed onto an adjacent Salvation Army store Wednesday morning. At a press conference Wednesday evening, Mayor Michael Nutter confirmed that a 35-year-old woman died in the the collapse. Officials said the family had requested that no further information be released. The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that two people have died, but that could not be independently confirmed.
Fourteen people are known to have been in the building when it collapsed, fire officials say. The Inquirer does continue to say that two people died, though it’s not been confirmed officially at this hour.
Law enforcement sources on the scene initially said two people were killed. Just after 3 p.m., the sources said that one woman’s body had been pulled from the rubble just after 2 p.m., and another victim’s body was seen by a witness in the basement.
[Updated: 4 p.m.] Fire commissioner Lloyd Ayers said around 3 p.m. that new teams of emergency responders would transition onto the site of the collapse and that search and clearing efforts would continue for the next 12 to 24 hours. On Property, Philly Mag real estate editor Liz Spikol reports on the owner of the collapsed building:
The owner of the building was Baltimore native Richard Basciano, associate, friend and one-time estate executor for notorious blight meister and slumlord Sam Rappaport. If one is truly judged by the company he keeps, Basciano would already be held in low esteem, but he shoulders another burden: a reputation as the porn king of Times Square–this was back in the ’70s and ’80s, when that was quite an achievement. His friends and business associates at that time had criminal ties and mob ties; one of them, in fact, was assassinated by John Gotti.
READ MORE: Owner Is Richard “Porn King” Basciano, a Sam Rappaport Alum [Updated: 1:40 p.m.] One person has been reported dead by sources, though the city has not confirmed.
Breaking: 1 person confirmed dead in Phila bldg collapse. — FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) June 5, 2013
Dramatic Rescue Picture from witness at the building collapse in Center City. Unreal! @fox29philly twitter.com/kcarmean/statu… — Kyle Carmean (@kcarmean) June 5, 2013
Fire fighters removing ladder and passing tools from debris pile. #inq twitter.com/MikeNewall/sta… — Mike Newall (@MikeNewall) June 5, 2013
Hospitals receiving collapse victims: 6 at Jeff, 3 at Hahnemann, 4 at HUP, per police. — Morgan Zalot (@morganzalot) June 5, 2013
[Updated: 12:57 p.m.] Important, possibly good news:
Fire Fighters have just pulled a victim from debris in Salvation Army Store. Middle age man who was breathing. #inq twitter.com/MikeNewall/sta… — Mike Newall (@MikeNewall) June 5, 2013
And reporters are already pursuing the backstory:
2136 Market’s listed contractor Plato A. Marinakos, Jr. says he’s “surprised” & “really sad” about building collapse: newsworks.org/index.php/home… — Holly Otterbein (@hollyotterbein) June 5, 2013
So are gadfly bloggers:
Center City Collapse:FACK CHECK TIME bit.ly/18OBd5x — Philadelinquency (@Philadelinquent) June 5, 2013
[Updated: 12:50 p.m.] Gov. Corbett sends a message: Meanwhile, you are urged to stop your rubbernecking. You know who you are:
Mayor Nutter : Please avoid the area from the Ben Frank Pkwy to Walnut St, from 18th to Schuylkill River so crews can continue rescue work — TJ Alexander (@6abcWebGuy) June 5, 2013
Meanwhile, a nearby construction worker says, yes, this collapse wasn’t all that surprising:
[Updated: 12:40 pm] Mayor Nutter is speaking to the media:
Fire Commissioner Ayers: 4-story building at 2140 Market St. collapsedduring demolition; 12 people rescued with relatively minor injuries. — Brian Leighton (@phillyleighton) June 5, 2013
Nutter: 12 people transported from scene of Philly #buildingcollapse. Active search and rescue operation is “delicate, dangerous work.” — NewsWorks (@NewsWorksWHYY) June 5, 2013
Nutter: “This is dangerous work” for firefighters, first responders #buildingcollapse — Sean Walsh (@SeanWalshDN) June 5, 2013
RT @seanwalshdn: “Stay out of this area so that our personnel can do the very dangerous and delicate work” 18th-Schuylkill / Parkway-Walnut — Philly Daily News (@PhillyDailyNews) June 5, 2013
How many people still under there? Nutter: “We’re not going to speculate on that” #buildingcollapse — Sean Walsh (@SeanWalshDN) June 5, 2013
RT @seanwalshdn: Fire Commish Ayers “Biggest challenge is … the tons of rubble thats on top of folks” #buildingcollapse — Philly Daily News (@PhillyDailyNews) June 5, 2013
Demolition was legally permitted, and contractor Griffin was properly licensed, L&I commish says. — Dana DiFilippo (@DanaDiFilippo) June 5, 2013
[Updated: 12:22 p.m.]
Aerial view of building collapse and rubble twitter.com/PhillyTrib/sta… — Philadelphia Tribune (@PhillyTrib) June 5, 2013
Mayor Nutter and city officials to address the media about building collapse at 22nd and Market in 4 minutes — Philadelphia Police(@PhillyPolice) June 5, 2013
Police sources now saying they believe at least 20 were inside at time of collapse. One inside possibly dead, but unconfirmed. — Morgan Zalot (@morganzalot) June 5, 2013
Still searching for two unaccounted — Aaron Moselle (@awmoselle) June 5, 2013
Flickr user luidude got this picture of the scene hours before collapse: [Updated: 11:47 a.m.] Nick Vadala has this photo of a victim being taken from the scene:
Building collapse at 22nd and market. Police reporting it’s an industrial accident twitter.com/njvadala/statu… — Nick Vadala (@njvadala) June 5, 2013
A building in downtown Philadelphia has collapsed and authorities fear that as many as 10 people may be trapped beneath the rubble and a frantic search is underway. The collapse at 22nd and Market Street happened around 10:30 a.m., and early reports from Philadelphia Police indicate that it may be the results of an industrial accident. According to Lloyd Ayers, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner, rescuers are searching for 8-10 individuals.
Police dog here to help hunt for victims in building collapse. twitter.com/DanaDiFilippo/… — Dana DiFilippo (@DanaDiFilippo) June 5, 2013
Routes 7, 9, 21, 31, 42, 44, 48, 124, 125: Bus service is on detour in both directions due to police & fire activity at 22nd Market Street. — SEPTA_SOCIAL (@SEPTA_SOCIAL) June 5, 2013
More ambulances headed to Philly building collapse. twitter.com/NotesFromHeL/s… — Helen Ubiñas (@NotesFromHeL) June 5, 2013
Apparently, the police have asked all buildings from Market to Chestnut Streets and from 21st to 22nd Streets to evacuate. #philadelphia — Marisa McClellan (@marusula) June 5, 2013
11 people out of the building. 2 still unaccounted for #buildingcollapse @newsworkswhyy — Aaron Moselle (@awmoselle) June 5, 2013
Neighbor said building collapsed in cloud so thick it was a shock to see building gone when it cleared. She heard people yelling “Help.” — Ronnie Polaneczky (@RonniePhilly) June 5, 2013
This pic is from nearby alley:
[ORIGINAL POST] 6 ABC reports:
Emergency crews are responding to the report of a collapse at the corner of 22nd and Market streets in Center City Philadelphia. The incident happened at 10:45 a.m. inside a building at that location. The Fire Department is reporting there are people trapped and medic units are being dispatched to the scene.
Building collapse at 22nd and Market Sts appears to be an industrial accident at this time. Please continue to stay clear of the area — Philadelphia Police(@PhillyPolice) June 5, 2013
Another @google map showing building prior to collapse at 22nd & market in phila. sdrv.ms/14gYLPw — Corey Herman (@coreyherman) June 5, 2013
Breaking: Pics from Skyfox on Center City partial bldg collapse. twitter.com/FOX29philly/st… — FOX 29 (@FOX29philly) June 5, 2013
Salvation Army building at 22nd/Market collapsed. Firefighters into the rubble. @phillymag twitter.com/joelmmathis/st… — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) June 5, 2013
Officials with Red Cross office a block away watch rescue efforts at Salvation Army. @phillymag twitter.com/joelmmathis/st… — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) June 5, 2013
My son’s pre-K at The Unitarian Church, round the block, is evacuating, at officials request.@phillymag twitter.com/joelmmathis/st… — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) June 5, 2013
At Caffeination, a block away from collapse, customers watch news coverage. #meta twitter.com/joelmmathis/st… — Joel Mathis (@joelmmathis) June 5, 2013