L&I: No Violations on Record for Collapsed Warehouse

The warehouse, before it collapsed. | Google Maps

The West Philadelphia warehouse that collapsed in high winds on Sunday had no previous record of violations on record, city officials say.

The incident happened around 5 a.m. Sunday; part of the front wall of an unused warehouse collapsed during a “high wind warning,” pulling down electric lines and damaging several nearby vehicles. A worker for a nearby auto shop was in one of the vehicles; he was treated for minor injuries. (The high winds also knocked out power to thousands of Philadelphia households during the day.)

“It is likely that the existing condition of the building, especially deterioration of the roof system, in combination with the severe weekend weather, led to the collapse” L&I Commissioner David Perri said in a press release. “L&I will make a final determination of the cause once the department has the opportunity to conduct a full review.”

The area has been fenced off; full demolition of the warehouse is expected to begin this week.