Parking garage collapses in Grays Ferry, Philadelphia; 1 dead, 2 presumed dead, mayor says

One person has died and two people are missing after a partial collapse at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia parking garage under construction in the city's Grays Ferry neighborhood Wednesday.

The missing people are presumed dead, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said during a press conference Thursday night. Crews have shifted to a recovery mission rather than search and rescue, she said.

Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said nearby crews responded to the collapse at the parking garage on the 3000 block of Grays Ferry Avenue around 2:15 p.m. They were able to rescue three people. One of the construction workers died at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, while the other two were treated and released.

"It's been a difficult day for the City of Philadelphia," Thompson said.

Parker asked Philadelphians to pray for those affected by the collapse Wednesday.

"We are not, we will not give up on these individuals," Parker said on Wednesday, "and we will not rest until everyone is accounted for from this tragedy."

Parker said all three workers who died were members of Ironworkers Union Local 401. 

Thompson said the seven-story parking garage is unstable, and the search for the two missing workers will take time.

Engineers are on the scene of the collapse because the building will need to be carefully deconstructed in order to make sure it's safe for members of the Philadelphia Fire Department to search for the workers, Thompson said.

"Please bear with us as we continue to conduct this operation," Thompson said. "We cannot give you a timeframe on how long it's going to take because, as we move through this process, we are constantly reevaluating the structure and making plans to make sure that we can conduct this operation as safely as possible."

Officials did not provide an update Thursday on the search efforts as crews are still working on stabilizing the structure.

Abi Aghayere, a professor of structural engineering at Drexel University, said the search for the two missing workers will be a meticulous process.

"It's still a small portion that can literally be deconstructed or dismantled, piece by piece," Aghayere said.

The collapse has shocked the community in Grays Ferry. 

Andy Martinez had returned to her home on Wharton Street when she heard a loud rumble Wednesday afternoon. But it wasn't until she checked her Ring doorbell camera, which showed the partial collapse, that she realized what had happened.

"It was so loud," Martinez said. "I was upstairs all the way in the back of the house."

What to know about Philadelphia parking garage collapse

Parker provided more details on what led to the deadly collapse during a press conference Wednesday night.

Parker said a subcontractor working at the parking garage was in the process of installing precast concrete flooring, decking and roofing segments. The mayor said one of them failed, triggering a progressive collapse from all seven levels. 

"The precast concrete segments were manufactured offsite and installed by the manufacturer," Parker said. "This process doesn't require standard L&I inspection. Instead, it falls under required special inspections that include periodic inspections for precast concrete installations."   

Parker said the collapse was contained to the 30th Street side of the stair tower.

The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections has launched an investigation into the collapse and will audit all contractors and subcontractors working on the parking garage, Parker said.

Parker added that all permits required for the construction were approved and inspections were up to date. 

CHOP cooperating with parking garage collapse investigation

Parker said she's been in contact with Madeline Bell, the CEO of CHOP, after the collapse and said they're cooperating with the investigation.

"Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is aware of a serious construction incident at our parking garage construction site on 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia," a CHOP spokesperson said in a statement. "We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners. We will share additional information as it becomes available."

According to CHOP's website, the garage is being built to expand employee parking. Before its construction, however, many people in the community sought to stop the project, citing issues with traffic, pollution and health risks to the neighborhood.

Parker said she's also been in contact with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

"Lori and I are praying for those injured in the parking garage that partially collapsed in Grays Ferry today, for the family of the individual who was tragically killed, and for the families who continue to wait while first responders search for their loved ones," Shapiro wrote on social media.

Road closures in area of Philadelphia parking garage collapse

Philadelphia officials are urging people to avoid the area where the collapse happened at the 3000 block of Grays Ferry Avenue as crews continue to investigate and search for the unaccounted workers. 

Police First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said Grays Ferry Avenue from 29th to 33rd streets is closed along with the shopping center across the street, due to the active scene. The streets and shopping center, which includes a Fresh Grocer and McDonald's, is also closed Thursday.

"Please stay away from this location while crews are here doing what they need to do," Stanford said. "Please do not come to try and take pictures or just to be on site or any of those types of things. The best thing you need to do is stay away from this location and pray for everyone that's involved in the situation."

Stanford said the closed section of Grays Ferry Avenue and the shopping center will reopen when authorities determine it's safe. 

Multiple agencies, including the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Philadelphia Fire Department, Philadelphia Police Department and L&I, will be on the scene of the collapse until the investigation is completed. 

Updates on the collapse will be posted on the city of Philadelphia's website.