For three days prior to its collapse, masonry contractors were working on the western wall of 324 Main St. Having shored it with supports, workers were removing layers of brick. The engineering firm Select Structural Engineering had determined the plan of action was to remove this section and replace the brick "veneer" on the western wall.
But it wasn't a veneer at all. It was an integral, load-bearing section of the structure. And according to a new report, this misunderstanding led to the building's partial collapse on May 28.
On Thursday, the City of Davenport released a "cause and origin" report from Chicago firms SOCOTEC Engineering and White Birch Group. The $150,000 report says both professional Engineer David Valliere of Select Structural Engineering and building owner Andrew Wold's masonry contractors "repeatedly misidentified" how integral the western wall was in supporting the structure. They delayed repair work. They underestimated the signs of distress. And while removing sections of brick wall, they didn't use even minimal wall supports.
The report identifies the "grossly inadequate" wall supports as the root cause of the collapse. It says with the right shoring, the collapse would not have happened. And therefore, the deaths of Branden Colvin Sr., Ryan Hitchcock and Daniel Prien would not have happened.
The masonry workers used shoring that was limited and undersized for a load-bearing wall. According to the report's analysis of pre-collapse photos and video evidence, the shoring did not comply with Select Structural's "minimal specifications, nor with standard practices for shoring procedures."
The engineering firm Select Structural also failed to provide adequate direction. The report's review of Select Structural's submitted documentation contains "multiple contradictions, questions and improper assumptions regarding the composition of the subject Building's structural system." It says Select Structural and Valliere "violated" the standard of care.
The report also cites water infiltration in the building due to poor exterior maintenance as a contributor to the structural instability. Photos from city inspections showed "delaminated paint, with numerous deferred maintenance conditions evident throughout."
The report does not get into the extent to which the city's inspection procedure or policy was involved. But it says the construction documents Wold had with the city did not provide adequate detail and specifications for the repair work that was underway. This limited the city inspector's ability to monitor the work effectively.
“We promised the public we would share their findings. Today, we are following through on that promise,” Davenport Mayor Mike Matson said in a press release. "Our hearts and thoughts remain with the families of Ryan, Branden, and Daniel and their loved ones, friends, and neighbors.”
