[DiamondSmiles]

Honestly, I expected the crane operator to do this.

Updated at 05:55 PM By KATHERINE SCOTT

ROXBOROUGH -June 13, 2013 (WPVI) -- City officials gathered Thursday morning, mourning the loss of one of their own. 52-year-old Ronald Wagenhoffer died in an apparent suicide Wednesday night in the city's Roxborough section.

Wagenhoffer was the L & I inspector who checked out the building that collapsed at the corner of 22nd and Market streets just over a week ago.

Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison, said at a press conference Thursday, "With the collapse a week ago, we have now lost seven lives in connection with this tragedy."

According to Action News sources, Wagenhoffer's wife discovered him in his pickup truck in an isolated area of the 100 block of Shawmont Avenue after receiving a text message from him.

Police and medics responded to the scene just after 9:00 p.m. and pronounced Wagenhoffer dead a short time later. Authorities say he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.

Last Wednesday, the wall of a four story building fell onto the Salvation Army Thrift Shop, killing six people and injuring 13 others. The Department of Licenses and Inspections says Wagenhoffer inspected the building prior to demolition on May 14th due to a complaint, but no issues were reported.

Wagenhoffer devoted 16 years of service to the City of Philadelphia. Licenses and Inspections Commissioner Carlton Williams said Wagenhoffer started with Department of Public Property and worked his way up the ranks to be one of the top code officials at L & I.

Williams said Wagenhoffer was, "...a dedicated civil servant who loved his job, mentored other young people - new inspectors...he was a professional craftsman."

He is survived by his wife, Michelle, and their son.

Sean Benschop, who was operating the excavator at the time of the collapse, already faces a number of charges including 6 counts of involuntary manslaughter. Police say he had marijuana and painkillers in his system.

The District Attorney is convening a grand jury to look into what factors led to the collapse. Excavator operator Sean Benschop already faces a number of charges including six counts of involuntary manslaughter.

While this investigation is underway, officials say Wagenhoffer was not to blame.

Deputy Mayor Gillison insisted, "This man did nothing wrong. The department did what it was supposed to do, under code that existed at the time."

Officials say counseling services have been available to Licenses and Inspections staff since the June 5th tragedy.

I could only find this one crappy picture. Still looking!

[Tiffany32]

That Josh Daniels is a real hottie ..I'd like to get that Northern Lights Suplex put on me !

...so sorry I lost my train of thought for a moment or two..nice post about the building inspector

[DiamondSmiles]

Josh plays Jimmy Wayne in the telling of his story here, "Famous Ghost Stories." It's the last story, naturally.

I asked him how he got the gig and he said they found him.

Nice guy and one of the best heels

<****** width="480" height="320" src="http://servicesaetn-a.akamaihd.net/pdk5/pdk5.1.3/pservice/embed-player/?siteId=bio&tPid=16539715567" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen></******>

If you can't see it here, go to biography.com. It has Beverly Johnson, Charlene Tilton and Jimmy Wayne. It's listed under Season 4, Episode 0 ()

I have to check out the move you mentioned ;) Thanks, Tiffany!

[DiamondSmiles]

68 Photos

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/gallery?...=1&pid=9137180

[DiamondSmiles]

Updated at 06:32 PM

Kenneth Moton
Action News

PHILADELPHIA - June 17, 2013 (WPVI) -- The 52-year-old woman dramatically pulled from the rubble of the Center City building collapse two weeks ago was so badly injured, doctors had to amputate both of her legs.

The extent of Mariya Plekan's injuries was revealed for the first time on Monday by the lawyer she has hired to represent her.

Attorney Andrew Stern says there has been a lot of misinformation out there about Plekan, right down to her name and age.

Six victims who lost their lives were pulled from the rubble before Plekan. Her attorney told Action News about her horrifying 13 hours and how she was able to survive.

The Action Cam caught the moment 52-year-old Salvation Army Thrift Store shopper Mariya Plekan of Kensington was pulled from the deadly building collapse at 22nd and Market Streets almost two weeks ago.

"She remembers praying constantly, hoping that she could stay alive. And then she remembers this person, who we now know to be Capt. O'Neil, toward the end, who was vigorously trying to pull her out," said Stern.

Stern says for 13 hours, his client was weak but aware of mostly everything happening around her.

She was able to breathe through an air pocket as she tried her best to scream out for help. But she wasn't able to because of the brick and metal that trapped her body.

"She is perhaps one of the most courageous people I've ever met. And she had such a strong will to live. She has a strong faith in God, and she was not going to give up," said Stern.

Once she was out, her injuries were so bad, doctors were forced to amputate both her legs close to her pelvis.

"They had had to take the surgery all the way up to the base of her hip. She's had her femur bone and socket removed. Half of her body has been amputated," said Stern.

Plekan's adult son and daughter are by her side now at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

She came to the U.S. from Ukraine 10 years ago, and she was taking care of an elderly woman before the collapse.

Now Plekan will need around-the-clock care, which is one reason her attorney says he will be filing suit in the near future.

"Those people who are responsible, they are going to be brought to justice. And we will see that that gets done," said Stern.

Stern says his client still has a long road ahead.

Her children live in Ukraine but they're trying to move here to the U.S. so they can stay by her side.

Video may be viewed here:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?se...cal&id=9142319

[DiamondSmiles]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id...20&pid=9177580

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=9178989&pid=null

SEPTA Releases Surveillance Video of Center City Building Collapse

Thursday, July 18, 2013

By CHAD PRADELLI
6 ABC News

PHILADELPHIA - July 18, 2013 (WPVI) -- SEPTA, (Southeastern PA Transportation Authority), has released surveillance video of the deadly building collapse in Center City.

The video, captured by a camera on the front of an eastbound SEPTA Route 31 bus, shows the June 5th collapse that killed 6 people and injured more than a dozen others.

The bus had just left the 23rd and Market stop when the 4-story building collapses onto the Salvation Army thrift store.

A plume of smoke, dust and debris billows onto Market Street. People scramble for cover. The force of the collapse sends one person to the ground. Bus passengers appear stunned.

"It's devastating to see something like that," said attorney Andrew Stern. "It's an important piece of evidence. What it tells us, and we will have a closer look with our experts, you can see is that wall was not properly supported."

Stern represents Maria Plekam, the 61-year-old woman who was trapped in the rubble for more than 12 hours.

She's had both legs amputated and continues to fight for her life at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.

Stern was at the hospital when the video first aired Thursday evening. He says he turned off the television to prevent additional trauma.

"She is not able to talk, but she is able to understand," said Stern. "She did understand a lot while I was talking to her. And I'm just glad I was able to prevent her from seeing the video."

Philadelphia City Council held hearings about the collapse earlier Thursday.

Council members wanted officials with L&I, (Licensing & Inspections), and the fire department to testify, but those officials declined due to the ongoing criminal investigation.

Six people died and 14 others were injured in the tragedy.

The excavator operator, Sean Benschop, is charged with a half dozen counts of involuntary manslaughter.

A long list of civil suits are also forthcoming.

"This is clearly going to help us in the theories that we have which is this involved a number of people from the top not the bottom that caused this problem," Stern said.

Stern told Action News Plekam is scheduled to have another surgery on Friday.

[Megamel29]

The tragedies keep piling up here. So sad.

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by Tiffany32 ↗

That Josh Daniels is a real hottie ..I'd like to get that Northern Lights Suplex put on me !

...so sorry I lost my train of thought for a moment or two..nice post about the building inspector

I switched my signature, but, here's a great shot of Josh. He cleans up nicely.
I saw him in only a towel once

I had a camera, but, decided to respect his privacy

[shadowstein]

"whoopsie daisy"

[DiamondSmiles]

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Updated at 03:04 PM today

MARYCLAIRE DALE , Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - November 25, 2013 (WPVI) --

The contractor who oversaw a botched building demolition that killed six people in a Salvation Army thrift store in Philadelphia was charged with murder, manslaughter and reckless endangerment on Monday.

Philadelphia District Attorney, Seth Williams, said Griffin Campbell was also charged with risking a catastrophe and criminal conspiracy in addition to the six counts of third degree murder, six counts of involuntary manslaughter and thirteen counts of endangerment.

In the collapse, an unsupported wall crashed down onto the neighboring thrift store, trapping and killing shoppers inside.

A call to Campbell's cellphone went unanswered but he was expected to surrender to detectives Monday afternoon.

The charges are the first since excavator operator Sean Benschop was charged this summer with six counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly operating heavy equipment while high on marijuana and painkillers.

Williams said the collapse remains under investigation but called Campbell the person, "at the center of culpability for the collapse." He told reporters that Campbell ignored an architect's warning the night before the June 5 collapse to brace the wall.

"The tragic and preventable collapse ... robbed our city of six amazing Philadelphians that perished in the rubble and left an additional thirteen wounded," Williams said.

Campbell alone chose the demolition method, cutting corners to meet a deadline and cut costs, as he was being paid a flat fee, Williams said.

He was also given the right to salvage floor joints and other material, so he pulled the valuable floor joists out first, destabilizing the exterior walls, Williams said.

A YouTube video taken days before the collapse shows a machine with a claw being used to knock down the facade, and bricks raining down on the open sidewalk. There was also no scaffolding in place to remove an unsupported 40-foot brick wall, which tumbled onto the one-story thrift store, burying the six dead and thirteen survivors.

Building owner, Richard Basciano, was not charged with any crimes Monday, and Williams declined to comment on his fate. However, the grand jury will continue to hear evidence in the case.

Basciano's architect, Plato Marinakos, who had secured the demolition permit, testified before the grand jury after he was promised immunity.

Basciano, once dubbed, "The pornography king of New York's Times Square," owned the three rundown storefronts being razed.

Several lawsuits have been filed against Basciano, a commercial developer hoping to redevelop the block, along with Campbell, Benschop and others. The victims' lawyers also accuse the city of lax oversight of the demolition process, but the city is generally immune from such lawsuits. One of the victims was the 24 year old daughter of the city treasurer.


Surveillance images of fatal building collapse
View all 78 photos here:
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/gallery?...=1&pid=9338988