EXCLUSIVE: Mayor Nutter Discusses Building Collapse With Eyewitness News
By Chris May
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – In an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News, Mayor Michael Nutter discusses the deadly building collapse in Center City and the issues surrounding the incident.
Mayor Nutter is leading the city's response to this crisis, but as its chief executive, he's also facing questions about how it happened.
"I'm not going to predict what I'm going to do. What I will tell you is there will be a full and thorough investigation that will go where it goes," said Nutter.
With concerns deepening over how the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections oversaw the demolition site at 22nd and Market, Mayor Nutter asks for time.
"It's time to fully investigate and figure out whether anyone inside or outside city government made mistakes that led to this," said Nutter.
The Mayor was asked if he can promise the people of Philadelphia that those people will be held accountable.
"The appropriate individuals will be held accountable," said Nutter. "Whoever is responsible we will figure that out and then take the appropriate action."
During the interview, the Mayor expressed concern for the victims and their families.
He praised Philadelphia's first responders and citizens who risked their lives to save others.
And he acknowledged when it comes to licensing demolition contractors, revised, higher standards may be in order.
"We want to look at things in a very different light, in a very different fashion; what's in the code today. Much of which has been in existence for a long, long period of time," said Nutter. "And look at even setting new standards for any of those requirements for people who do that kind of work or get in that business. What kind of background or experience should you have and other things we should be looking at. All of that will get a full review."
The Mayor says that he was happy but stunned to learn that a survivor had been found after 13 hours in the rubble. One of a few bright spots in an otherwise dark day for Philadelphia.
