Search for answers at site of East Garfield Park building where a porch collapsed, killing one and injuring others
CHICAGO (CBS) -- One day after a deadly porch collapse in East Garfield Park, there's more information about building violations.
A 52-year-old man died in the collapse and two others were injured. CBS 2's Tim McNicholas reported crews spent a second day at the scene all day trying to figure out what happened.
There is heavy machinery in the area. The Chicago Department of Buildings said there are contractors trying to make sure everything is now safe on this property.
But some neighbors are asking the city for more than that.
Danny White's Ring doorbell video shows his family walking outside to see what happened. They saw fire trucks pulling up next door. It's where part of a home collapsed, killing their neighbor, Anthony Wright.
"Anthony, he was a pillar of the community," White said.
Now White said he's calling his alderman.
"To have him send the city inspectors out to inspect the whole block to keep this from happening again," White said.
The building that collapsed already failed an inspection in 2015 because the owner didn't "maintain the exterior walls of a building...free from holes, breaks, loose or rotting boards or any other conditions which might admit rain or dampness..."
Creative Scott is a first cousin of the building owner. He showed us paperwork and receipts claiming payment for recent work done on the building.
"She paid $40,000 to the get the roof fixed, and also for the tuckpointing to get done for the part that fell in front of the building – she also paid to get that done," Scott said.
The city's records posted online don't say whether those issues were ever fixed. The most recent permit issued was in late 2020 for roofing work.
Scott said the tuckpointing work was undertaken nine months ago.
"She's not a contractor, so she didn't know they didn't do a complete job," Scott said.
A Google Street view image dated seven months ago appears to show the part that collapsed, just below the roof, beginning to separate from the rest of the building.
"Maintain your property and have the city come out and inspect it as much as possible. That's the only advice I can give right now," White said.
At least eight people lived in the building, including the owner. She lived on the second floor and is related to Wright and the others were injured. She declined to be interviewed. Anthony Wright's sister and White both praised her today.
"Just trying to help out everybody. I don't have nothing bad to say about her, she is a really good person," said Yolonda Wright.
On Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said the family was not able to keep up the property and a truss at the top of the building failed and part of the façade fell down.
The Department of Buildings hasn't said what caused the collapse or whether those 2015 violations were fixed. The building owner filed for bankruptcy two weeks ago.
