Engineer suspended over ‘catastrophic’ error at collapsed NYC building

Nypost ^ | 12/16/2023 | Matthew Sedacca

[ChicagoConservative27]

New York City suspended an engineer’s inspection authority after determining that a fundamental error may have led to the partial collapse of a Bronx apartment building this week.

The state-licensed engineer made a “catastrophic” mistake by labeling a load-bearing column as a decorative part of the structure in June in plans filed with the Department of Buildings, Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement.

Adams and Buildings Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said that they suspended the engineer’s authority to inspect buildings’ exterior walls and were looking to revoke the authority permanently.

[Fresh Wind]

Good points. I think you have identified the problem.

There is a certain subset of colleges/universities that routinely issue engineering degrees to unqualified persons, in this case civil engineering, who most likely are unable to get PE certification. This should have been a requirement for the person involved, and if that was waived in this case (or in general) for political reasons, dangerous situations like this can be expected.

[stylin19a]

The state-licensed engineer made a “catastrophic” mistake by labeling a load-bearing column as a decorative part of the structure

It's a 96 year old building.
How does his labeling cause him blame for the building to collapse?
How does someone not look at old blueprints or older reports to check and verify ?

Maybe something is missing in this article\report... The article does end with Needless to say, there is still a lot to investigate.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Shouldn’t the contractor hire his own structural engineer? Is it normal practice for city inspectors to mark load-bearing and on-load-bearing members. All plans I’ve see for extensive remodeling have a structural engineer do the work and they stamp the drawings, not some city inspector.

It still doesn’t smell right.

[Fresh Wind]

Needless to say, there is still a lot to investigate.

Or cover up, as the case may be.

[Drago]

Yeah lack of info. in the article....this press release seems to indicate it was a private (but state licensed) structural engineer working for the contractor?

https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/965-23/city-suspends-inspection-authority-engineer-due-conduct-bronx-building-collapse-site

[Gnome1949]

Great. Hire engineers using diversity instead of intelligence and skill.

[T.B. Yoits]

Re: Post 25

...this press release seems to indicate it was a private (but state licensed) structural engineer working for the contractor

10 to 1 the contractor was forced by the city to hire a Racial or Genital Discrimination Firm in order to get the permits approved.

[chuckb87]

The mayor really can’t be critical.

[cherry]

a male....aka..a man...

[mewzilla]

Reviewing 300+ engineering reports...

That one engineer has recently filed over 300 engineering reports...

Okaaaay...

[Ex-Con777]

>Great. Hire engineers using diversity instead of intelligence and skill.<

This “engineer” was a city inspector. Assuming he/she/they/zi even had an engineering degree, it is a given that city inspectors are engineers who couldn’t get a real job engineering.

And, yes, you follow what the inspector says or the entire job will be shut down.

EC

[Larry Lucido]

[SaveFerris]

I’m building levels.

Like Ancient Egypt.

Oh, I’ll be comfortable......

[wintertime]

P

[wintertime]

A diversity hire? ( Just wondering.)

[sloanrb]

If he was white his name and picture would be all over the news.

[gundog]

[gundog]

I think the trouble may be related to some unauthorized cabinet building, and subsequuent removal.

[Larry Lucido]

Likely the same architect that designed the Al Bundy home.

[SaveFerris]

I thought it looked great!