Panel's Findings on Fatal Market Street Building Collapse Released
By Mark Abrams
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A blue ribbon panel appointed by Mayor Nutter in the wake of the July 2013 fatal building collapse on Market Street to examine the operations of the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections has presented its report.
While the report contains about three dozen recommendations for the city to consider going forward, the largest is splitting up L&I's functions and placing more emphasis on safety and accountability.
"We want to minimize, to the best and greatest of our ability, any chance that any similar tragedy like 22nd and Market or any other kind can happen again in the future," the mayor said. "By learning from our tragic past, we will better protect the public now and in the future."
Nutter also announced the immediate shifting of oversight and management responsibility for L&I to his chief of staff, deputy mayor Everett Gillison, who oversees public safety.
Nutter also appointed another committee to evaluate the recommendations and prepare a report for him by year's end on how they could be implemented.
