42-year-old Sean Benschop, who reportedly also uses the name Kary Roberts, faces a raft of charges that include 6 counts of involuntary manslaughter, risking a catastrophe, reckless endangerment, and other charges. Blood tests indicated that Benschop had been high on marijuana and also using prescription painkillers at the time of the fatal Philadelphia building collapse. Our building collapse negligence attorneys note that some news reports indicate that that Sean Benschop was the crane operator, while others say that he was operating excavating equipment on the site.
The four-story building under demolition on Market Street in Center City, Philadelphia collapsed suddenly on Wednesday. The rubble came crashing through the roof of the Salvation Army Thrift Store next-door, killing 6 and injuring 14 people. One of those killed in the fatal Philadelphia building collapse was an employee at her first day on the job. Two others were a pair of artist friends who were shopping.
“High” Equipment Operator had Felony Charges and Prison Time Relating to Drugs in his Past
Sean Benschop, aka Kary Roberts, is described as a felon with at least 11 prior arrests on record. The building collapse negligence attorneys at Denena Points, PC relate that the charges included theft, drugs, aggravated assault, and weapons possession. Sean Benschop was sentenced to prison twice in the 1990s for drug trafficking.
Witness accounts regarding the fatal Philadelphia building collapse indicate a disregard for safe demolition practices. For instance, video of the building site prior to the collapse show bricks raining down onto a sidewalk which had been left open to pedestrians as a worker knocked out part of a front wall. And our building collapse negligence attorneys point out that the contractor hired for the demolition work apparently lacked experience in the work.
Deadly Demolition Disaster Demonstrates Need for Reforms
Discussions of the disaster have indicated that the City of Philadelphia only very lightly regulates demolition work. That may be about to change. Inspectors have fanned out across the city to inspect all demolition sites. Suggested reforms have included random drug testing for demolition workers, background checks on contractors, experience reviews of workers, and more frequent inspections of demolition sites. (Source: Maryclaire Dale, Michael Rubinkam, and Kathy Matheson, Associated Press, 6/7/13)
Our building collapse negligence attorneys emphasize that it would also be a good idea to evacuate adjacent buildings during important phases of the demolition work, especially in cases of old masonry buildings that may have already developed structural weaknesses and instabilities over the years. Some accounts of the fatal Philadelphia building collapse indicate that the Salvation Army had contacted the building owner with safety concerns and was told that all proper safety precautions would be taken. To date, witness statements and videos are pointing out that these proper safety precautions indeed were not taken, with tragic and fatal results.
Contact our Building Collapse Negligence Attorneys with Your Questions about a Serious Injury or Wrongful Death from Negligent Construction or Demolition Work
At Denena Points, PC, we have more than a decade of relevant experience successfully resolving complex personal injury and wrongful death cases for our clients. We provide a free, no obligation initial legal consultation to discuss your accident and evaluate your potential for a fair financial recovery for the needless harm you’ve suffered. And we never charge you attorneys’ fees unless wewin your case, so there’s no financial risk to you. Give us a call at 281-369-4363 or just fill out our online contact form to schedule your free legal consultation.
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