Iowa building owner sues engineering company for collapse deaths.
Owner of Collapsed Iowa Apartment Building Files Lawsuit Against Engineering Company
The owner of an Iowa apartment building that tragically collapsed in May, resulting in the deaths of three people, has recently filed a lawsuit. The lawsuit holds Select Structural Engineering responsible for failing to warn about the building’s structural instability and the need for evacuation.
Real estate owner Andrew Wold took legal action more than three months after the partial collapse occurred on May 28 in Davenport. During the incident, one side of the six-story building gave way, leading to the amputation of a woman’s leg to rescue her from the rubble.
The lawsuit argues that Select Structural Engineering failed to identify the risk of collapse, the potential danger it posed, and the necessary repairs to prevent such a catastrophe.
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The lawsuit states, “At no time did Select Structural opine that the defects in the west wall would require an evacuation of the building. To the contrary, Select Structural expressly stated that the Davenport Hotel was not in danger of collapse and that no evacuation was necessary.”
Select Structural Engineering, based in Bettendorf, Iowa, has chosen not to comment on the building collapse at this time.
In addition, it was reported that over 2,000 emails, obtained through a public records request, shed light on the situation. One email from a city code enforcement officer to himself revealed that a coworker had warned about the danger just two days before the collapse. The officer documented the colleague’s comment, stating, “He was frustrated and whispered to me that ‘the whole side is going to come down.'” However, when the officer suggested reporting it to supervisors, the coworker claimed that they were told to “back off and don’t worry about it.”
None of the individuals mentioned in the email responded to requests for comment, and the Assistant City Attorney stated that city employees are not authorized to address media inquiries.
Since the building collapse, multiple lawsuits have been filed by residents alleging negligence on the part of the building owner, engineering company, and city officials.
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