Friends met at an apartment on Franklin Street, San Francisco to bid farewell to their friend who was bound for Atlanta. That evening in 1996 one woman was killed, 12 others injured, four seriously.
These type of failures and senseless deaths CAN and SHOULD be prevented.
On February 17th, 1996, tragically, the third-floor balcony at the back of the apartment collapsed. Dry rot and lack of maintenance was involved in the cause of the failure. The collapse had many similarities to the tragedy that killed six students in Berkeley in June 2015
Photo:Lea Suzuki/Chronicle
It is within the power of every homeowner to prevent casualties like these by recognizing and prioritizing home maintenance and safety. Sadly the story is familiar.
Florida Building Collapse 2021 - 98 Dead
Berkeley Balcony Collapse 2015 - 6 Dead
San Francisco Deck Collapse 1996 - 1 Dead
Greta Greene (2 years old) NYC 2015
Dies 1 Day after a brick struck her that plummeted from the eight floor as she sat on her grandmother's lap on a NYC bench (building owners reportedly paid fine of $6,467 in 2010-2011 for failing to show they had performed inspection of the buildings exterior)
Grace Gold (17 years old) NYC 1979
Killed by a piece of crumbling masonry that broke away from the eight floor as she walked on the sidewalk with her friends after completing her freshman year
After about a months trial regarding the San Francisco tragedy and subsequent trial, with a jury deadlocked on involuntary manslaughter charges, the property landlord was fined $1,000, ordered to do 200 hours community service & serve two years unsupervised probation and after being found quilty of; failure to maintain a building in a safe condition and failure to apply for a permit for remodelling work. He was subsequently ordered to pay $12 Million+ in damages after a civil case was taken against him.
Checking, maintaining & remodeling homes can be better, stronger and safer than ever before.
Do the right thing - protect ourselves, our families and the lives of others.
Has your building been maintained recently?
For more info visit SensiBILT.com
Click here to learn more about the Landlord's Financial Consequences for not maintaining his building
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