BLAME GAME

Authorities Reveal Reason for Iowa Apartment Collapse That Killed 3

A report released by the city identified two “root” causes of the collapse, along with a slew of other missteps.

Authorities in Davenport, Iowa, released a scathing report this week that revealed a slew of causes leading up to the sudden collapse of a downtown apartment building, which left three dead, scores injured, and dozens without a home in June. Citing investigators, city officials said the two “root causes” of the collapse were the improper removal of a section of brick wall that weakened the building’s structure, and “severely lacking” shoring by a masonry company. The Quad City Times reported this summer that the building’s owner, Andrew Wold, hired Bi-State Masonry to repair a damaged brick wall because he wasn’t happy with the price quoted by another contractor. Ryan Shaffer, the owner of Bi-State Masonry, pointed a finger at Wold after the collapse, reportedly claiming his workers cut corners because Wold was being cheap. Wold has sued the inspection company, Select Structural, alleging it underestimated the building’s structural flaws.