Parking deck that partially collapsed missed inspection

DETROIT – Records show a Detroit parking deck that partially collapsed, dropping eight vehicles about 10 feet (3 metres) to the level below, missed a scheduled inspection in November.

No one was injured in the Thursday morning collapse at the deck, located just east of downtown. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

David Bell, director of Detroit’s Buildings Safety Engineering and Environment Department, says the deck was last inspected in November 2015 and was overdue for inspection because the inspector was suffering a “serious illness.”

Bell says in a statement that no structural issues were found in 2015, but that the city “will be taking a closer look at other structures assigned to this inspector” since the inspector hasn’t returned to work.