Cars trapped, employees left in limbo after Glen Burnie building deemed unstable
Multiple cars were left behind by workers who were forced to evacuate after construction compromised the Empire Towers Building in Glen Burnie, Maryland, last week.
Karen Kamosa told CBS News Baltimore that her mother works in the unstable 10-story office building, and now her car is among the dozens trapped in the lower-level parking garage.
Structural engineers said construction work in the parking garage caused ceilings to sag and exposed rebar on Thursday, July 9.
"She's like, 'I will never park in a parking garage again, and whatever building I go in better be one floor,'" Kamosa said. "She is shaken up. Everybody in that building is shaken up."
Empire Towers are deemed structurally unsound
Fire officials told CBS News Baltimore that the Empire Towers Building is structurally unsound and there is no immediate timetable for reopening roads or the building.
Due to the high structural instability risks, Anne Arundel County has established a 150-foot safety perimeter around the building, which is a distance equal to one and a half times the building's height, based on guidance from structural safety officials.
The building's owner and management company will need a structural engineer to further evaluate. County inspectors will then perform routine inspections to oversee the construction.
Waiting for answers
Several people told CBS News Baltimore that they are unsure whether they will get their cars back.
Kamosa's mother is among those still waiting for answers.
"It's just been so up and down, it's crazy," Kamosa said. "One minute, we are hearing good things, and the next it's bad...we're tired."
How to file an insurance claim?
CBS News Baltimore obtained an email from the property's management, which updated tenants on the evaluation of the building, stating, "There appears to be no damage to any vehicles."
The email also provided information on where to file an insurance claim.
The property management listed as "Active Property Management" declined to comment on CBS News Baltimore's request for an update on the trapped vehicles.
"I've talked to quite a few people who work there. Their vehicle is there. They have gotten nothing, so I have been forwarding them information that they need," Kamosa said.
If you or someone you know has a car trapped under Empire Towers, contact insurance adjuster Louis Petrucci, with Insurance Claim No. 4723933, at louis_petrucci@cinfin.com or 443-388-0426.
Information to come when available
A spokesperson for the Anne Arundel County Executive's Office said they plan to release more information when it becomes available.
The employees say a lot of the information they are receiving has been conflicting as they continue to wait.
"We're chalking this up to a total loss right now," Kamosa said. "If the car comes, great; if we're able to access the building, great. If not, we've got to get a new car."
