Ice thaw may have caused bricks to fall onto store’s roof
PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia inspectors said they believe the freezing of water and the later thawing of the ice may have led bricks to fall from a downtown building onto a neighboring roof and into an athletic-wear store, injuring three women.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports temporary repairs are being done to secure the nearly 90-year-old building next to the Lululemon Athletica store following Tuesday’s collapse of a parapet wall.
Department of Licenses and Inspections Commissioner Carlton Williams said investigators believe “water infiltration, along with freezing and thawing, could have caused the (bricks) to become dislodged.” He said that process generally leads to “deteriorated structures in older masonry buildings.”
The injuries to the three women aren’t considered life-threatening.