Posted on 05/24/2004 1:23:53 PM PDT by Gamecock
PARIS (Reuters) - New cracks have appeared at a Paris airport terminal, a day after part of the roof collapsed, and the airport's head has vowed to tear the terminal down if an investigation finds it is unsafe.
Terminal 2E at Charles de Gaulle airport has been closed to passengers since Sunday's accident killed four people, but workers spotted the cracks as they cleared the rubble.
"A certain number of cracks were observed in a second zone that is identical in design to the area where the roof collapsed," Rene Brun, director of operations at the airport, told reporters on Monday.
"Given our concerns about what happened on Sunday and for precautionary reasons, we decided to evacuate it."
Concrete, metal and glass crashed down onto a waiting area in terminal 2E on Sunday morning, bringing down a large section of the long tube-like building at Paris' biggest airport -- minutes after passengers saw and heard cracks in the roof.
Permanent closure of the showcase building would be a big blow to the finances and image of operator Aeroports de Paris (ADP) as it prepares for partial privatisation, but ADP chairman Pierre Graff said safety was the top priority.
"If all the (structural) rings which make up this terminal are beyond repair, we will raze everything to the ground," he told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview. "We will take no risk in terms of safety."
Firemen said they had retrieved four bodies from the rubble, revising the death toll down from five. The search could last days and it was not clear if there were more bodies under the rubble, a fire brigade spokesman said.
FLGHTS AND PASSENGERS REDIRECTED
The futuristic terminal, used mainly by national carrier Air France, opened only 11 months ago and is intended eventually to handle 10 million passengers.
Covered by a domed roof perforated with small windows that bathe it in light, the terminal cost 750 million euros (502 million pounds) and was hailed as a triumph of engineering and design.
Its about 60 daily flights are being diverted to other terminals at the airport in Roissy, on the northeastern outskirts of Paris.
The collapse has raised questions about the design and construction, and whether the terminal was built too fast.
Hubert Fontanel, who oversaw construction of the terminal for ADP, declined to speculate on the reasons for the roof's collapse until a judicial investigation is complete.
He said that during construction, ADP had found cracks in some supporting pillars but they had been reinforced with carbon fibres. He denied construction had been rushed or that ADP opted for a futuristic cylindrical design without regard for safety.
"The design is avant garde but the building was conceived with the strictest technical requirements and is made of classic materials like cement," he said.
Architect Paul Andreu flew back from China where he is working on an opera house. "I can't explain what happened. I just don't understand it," he told L'Humanite newspaper.
Andreu and ADP said they adhered to all required security checks. They said the terminal's opening last year was delayed by just over a week because of problems such as electricity installations, which had nothing to do with the bigger structure.
Even so, shares in French construction firm Vinci, which helped build the terminal, ended down 1.9 percent on Monday.
Analysts said the accident dented ADP's image and could delay plans to partially privatise it in 2005. "This has to be a significant embarrassment," one said.
French Airport Surrenders
I've been "dying" to see what Freepers think of this.
It looks like Epcot....
The train tunnel scene in Atlas Shrugged.
its global warming they did not make expansion joints big enough
Did Michael Moore walk through this terminal on his way out from Cannes? If so, that could crack concrete...
It's a social utopia, if you don't mind new buildings crashing to the ground due to poor design and uninspired workmanship.
France today reads like a modern day Altas Shrugged except John Galt is nowhere to be found.
This will do wonders for tourism in France.
I just spoke with a young lady who I hired a few years ago and was in 2E just this past Friday. My boss was scheduled to go through today. I haven't been there since last June, a week before 2E opened. Since my nephew is now stationed At Ramstein AFB, I go through Frankfurt instead of Paris now.
Delta also used 2E since they are partners with Air France.
Between this airport disaster and the carrier, the French aren't doing a very good job of honoring Charles de Gaulle.
"The collapse has raised questions about the design and construction, and whether the terminal was built too fast."
No, no, it's just French that's all. French will replace Duh as the new term for "ef'd up".
My first thought was the exact same thing!
I'm all for advancing the science of design and construction, but some projects strike me as just a little too cutting edge for their own good.
I hope they are in better shape than the new airport.
Let us all take note! If visiting China, watch out for opera houses.
Andreu and ADP said they adhered to all required security checks.
That doesn't say much for French required security check. The worst damage to a French airport was done by the French. Any Islamic terrorists in French airports are up against trained competition.
Last I heard, John is holed up in Colorado living the good life.
With todays engineering technology and ability to build computer models that reflect real time stress and stability dynamics, cutting edge should not be a problem.
I'm 99.9 % sure in the end, it will be poor construction as the reason for the untimely accident
If IIRC, a walkway in a mall in the U.S. collapsed because the builders deviated from architectural specifications. Also, I think it was the Citicorp building in NY that had to have major structural welding done after it was completely finished, because the builder decided to use bolted joints during construction, rather than the welded joints originally specified by the architect.
I suspect this will turn out to be the same sort of thing.
Designed by wine-swilling cheseheads, and built by part-time unionized surrender monkeys.
I am just so shocked with my enjoyment of this, it is just plain wrong of me to enjoy seeing the French humiliated. Maybe the construction people had too much nuance or something and not enough expertise in building things.
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