[Press Release] : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 500 East Walnut Parking Garage - Update on glass panel(s)

[Press Releases]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Columbia Public Works
(573) 874-7250

500 East Walnut Parking Garage - Update on glass panel(s)

COLUMBIA, MO (September 18, 2013) - On Thursday, September 12 around 5:00 PM, a panel of clear glass from the 9th floor of the northwest stair tower of the 5th and Walnut Parking Garage fell, striking a second panel of clear glass on the mezzanine level of the stair tower, causing both glass panels to strike the street and sidewalk below.

Public Works staff has reviewed the events which led up to the glass panels falling, and determined the following sequence of events occurred:

·         Around 4:00 am on Thursday, September 12, a Parking Utility maintenance staff member noted a panel of glass in the west stair tower was shattered. The damaged glass panel did not appear to be in danger of dislodging.

·         The Parking Utility staff set cones in the stair tower landing and on the sidewalk below to restrict access around and below the shattered panel.

·         Around 10 am on Thursday, September 12, Briste Glass was contacted and a work order was created to replace the glass panel as soon as possible.

·         Around 5:00 PM on Thursday, September 12, the glass panel which was shattered, failed and fell. During the fall, parts of the damaged glass panel struck another glass panel causing that panel to shatter and fall.

·         No one was injured and no other property was damaged as a result of the two glass panels falling.

·         Parking Utility staff reviewed security camera recordings and determined that the glass panel, which was discovered shattered by maintenance staff early on the 12th, was struck by an unknown object, from the exterior side of the building, about 5:00 PM on Wednesday, September 11.

While Parking Utility staff could not determine in the recordings exactly what struck the glass panel and caused it to shatter, a deceased bird was found on the sidewalk area along 5th Street near the building.

There is no evidence that anything other than the glass panel being struck by an object from the exterior caused the glass panel to fail and fall.

Director of Public Works John Glascock has directed maintenance staff to create a policy which will require the immediate removal of any glass panel which is discovered cracked or shattered.  Those panels will be replaced with a temporary panel until such time replacement glass panels can be installed.

Some additional facts about the glass panel(s)

·         The panel which was struck from the exterior on September 11th was on the 9th level in the northwest stair tower.

·         Each glass panel measures 5' by 8' and weighs around 300 pounds. 

·         The replacement cost for the two glass panels has not yet been determined.

 



 -30- 

______________________________________________________

You have received this message because you subscribe to the City of Columbia's Web Mail service. To view linked material click on provided links or copy and paste them into your browser's address menu.
______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/
______________________________________________________

Archived press releases can be viewed online at:
http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Public_Comm/Public_Information/Press_Releases/
______________________________________________________

If you would like to stop receiving messages, modify list options, or subscribe to other lists visit the Web Mail section of our Web site and follow the instructions provided. 

http://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Web_Mail/