The owner of an electronics store in Mount Prospect said he was “shocked” when the roof of his building suddenly collapsed Tuesday morning.
New sources report that the fire department was called around 11:30 am to investigate the incident, which occurred at Tri-State Electronic Corp. on Northwest Highway. The fire department closed two lanes of the Northwest Highway near the building in anticipation of a complete collapse.
Yesterday, structural engineers entered the premises to determine whether or not the roof was safe to repair and discovered that at least one third of the building’s wooding bowstring trusses broke. As of Wednesday, the Mount Prospect Fire Chief said that he was still concerned that the entire building might fall.
“The northeast corner of the wall is leaning,” he said, “The building’s collapse is still a concern.”
Although traffic is moving on the Northwest Highway, the fire department does not plan to reopen the lanes closest to the building until Thursday afternoon.
The building’s utilities were shut off, which also affected the Capannari Ice Cream shop on Pine St. and several nearby parking lots.
The building owner described the incident as “scary.” He and four employees were inside the building when the partial collapse occurred, but no one was hurt. “…that’s the most important thing,” said the owner.
On Tuesday, two air conditioning units started to sink into the building, eventually falling through the roof yesterday morning. “It kept getting worse,” the owner said, “We’ve never had a problem. That’s why it’s such a shock.”
Click here to read the full article about this story from the Chicago Tribune.
From the Perspective of a Personal Injury Lawyer in Chicago
Accidents happen, but most of them are preventable. Roof collapse accidents may be caused by a variety of circumstances. In the past, plaintiffs have filed suit against contractors and subcontractors for partial and complete roof collapses. Inadequate maintenance or improper safety inspections could lead to a collapse as well.
Constructions sites, old buildings, and damages buildings are especially likely to suffer roof collapses. If you or someone you love was hurt in a similar accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. Contact Duncan Law Group to learn more about your options with a topnotch Chicago personal injury attorney.