All articles tagged with #building safety
MPs and peers are facing a decision on whether to move out of the Palace of Westminster for essential repairs, with options including full or partial decant or ongoing work on-site, amid concerns over safety, costs, and the building's condition, with a final decision expected soon.
UMKC has given KCUR and related organizations one month to vacate their deteriorating Troost Avenue building due to safety concerns, with plans to find new space amid ongoing organizational changes.
A devastating fire in Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court has resulted in 159 deaths, including an infant and a 97-year-old, with ongoing investigations into its cause, suspected to involve substandard renovation materials. The city plans to proceed with a legislative election amid public grief and calls for accountability, while displaced residents struggle to recover from the tragedy.
A devastating fire at Hong Kong's Wang Fuk Court complex has resulted in 146 deaths, with ongoing investigations into safety violations and construction negligence, amid public mourning and government action to halt related projects.
Rescuers in Indonesia are working to save students trapped under the rubble of a collapsed Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo, with at least three students dead and over 100 injured, amid ongoing efforts and concerns about building safety and unauthorized construction.
The owner of the Jet Set nightclub in the Dominican Republic, where a roof collapse killed 236 people, has been arrested and charged with involuntary homicide after evidence showed he was warned about the roof's danger. His sister is also charged, amid accusations of negligence and misconduct, following the tragic incident during a live concert.
A two-story school building collapsed in north-central Nigeria, killing 22 students and trapping over 100 others. Rescuers have saved 132 students who are now receiving medical treatment. The collapse is attributed to the school's weak structure and proximity to a riverbank, highlighting ongoing issues with building safety regulations in Nigeria.
Federal investigators examining the partial collapse of a Florida condominium tower that killed 98 people have found numerous faulty support columns in the tenant garage and pool deck below the building. Tests revealed that some columns were only half the strength they should have been and were not up to construction standards when the tower was built in 1980. The pool deck collapsed minutes before the tower fell, likely damaging a support beam and causing the subsequent collapse. The investigation is ongoing, with preliminary results indicating potential structural issues and the possibility of external triggers for the collapse. Survivors and families of victims have expressed frustration over the length of the investigation and the lack of accountability.
A massive fire in an apartment block in Valencia, Spain has left at least five dead, 14 missing, and 15 injured. The blaze, possibly exacerbated by strong winds and flammable building materials, engulfed the block within half an hour. Firefighters are conducting search and rescue operations, while dental experts and police are working to identify charred bodies. The community has rallied to support those affected, with donations pouring in for residents who lost everything in the fire.
A second roof collapse in Anchorage occurred less than a day after over 1,000 warnings were sent to building owners about the risk of collapse due to heavy snow. No injuries were reported, but the collapses have raised concerns about the safety of buildings with wooden trusses and gang-nail plates. Municipal officials have issued snow-clearing guidance for at-risk buildings, and the collapses this season have surpassed last winter's count. The Anchorage Fire Department emphasized the importance of clearing roofs of snow and recommended consulting a structural engineer for building evaluations.
Thirteen people have died in a fire at a school dormitory in Yanshanpu village, Henan province, China. The privately-run school for young children had the manager detained, and one person is being treated in hospital. Fatal fires in China are not uncommon due to lax enforcement of building and safety standards, and an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Honeywell, a U.S. industrial firm, has announced its acquisition of Carrier's security unit for $4.95 billion in cash. The deal will strengthen Honeywell's building safety business, which has experienced slow growth in recent months. The acquisition will provide access to Carrier's brands, including Onity and Supra, and bolster Honeywell's building technologies business. The deal is expected to close before the end of the third quarter of 2024 and will be cash-earnings per share accretive to Honeywell in the first full year of ownership. Carrier intends to use the estimated net proceeds of about $4 billion to pay down debt.
An Australian photographer captured unsettling creaking sounds in a high-rise apartment on the 52nd floor of Melbourne's Victoria One building, causing concern about the building's safety. The video, shared on Reddit, received comments describing the sounds as "terrifying" and "nightmare fuel." While creaking sounds are common in tall structures due to wind-induced movements, experts suggest installing vibration-control technologies like dampers or isolators to mitigate the noise. The design phase of the building may have overlooked these considerations, leading to the noise issues. Victoria One declined to comment on the matter.
The recent devastating earthquake in Morocco serves as a warning for California, highlighting the dangers of weak brick buildings during seismic activity. While California has taken measures to address this issue, some cities have not, putting lives at risk. Older brick buildings lack the ductility and reinforcement needed to withstand earthquakes, causing them to collapse and potentially kill occupants and pedestrians. The risk is particularly high in the Inland Empire region, where multiple dangerous faults intersect. The U.S. Geological Survey classifies old brick buildings as one of the two building types posing the greatest risk to life safety, along with non-ductile concrete structures. Owners of vulnerable brick buildings may face significant lawsuits if they fail to address the risk, even if local government mandates have not been issued.
Over 150 schools in the UK are being forced to close their buildings due to the risk of collapsing concrete. The buildings contain Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), a material prone to crumbling. While most schools can continue with face-to-face learning as the problematic concrete is only found in a small part of the buildings, some schools will have to be temporarily closed. The timing of the closures has been criticized by education officials and unions, who argue that the government should have addressed the issue sooner. Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has outlined a plan to minimize the impact on learning and provide support to schools.