Categories
Uncategorized

Surfside building inspector oversaw 1997 collapse of Florida dog track during demolition that resulted in two dead

The former Surfside, Florida building inspector who reassured Champlain Towers South residents that their condo complex was structurally sound despite an independent engineer’s report of multiple serious issues was previously employed in Miami Shores, Florida, where he was responsible for inspecting the demolition project of a local dog track that collapsed, killing two workers.

The New York Times reports that Ross Prieto, the building inspector for Surfside who makes a $110,000 annual salary, told condo residents in 2018 that the complex was “in very good shape” despite an independent report that listed significant damage to concrete and steel reinforcing bars.  Prieto was sent the report by the consulting engineer, and made a visit to the condo complex that November to reassure residents.

About a year later, when residents wrote to him expressing concern that the blasting from a nearby construction project was shaking their condos, Prieto responded that “there is nothing for me to check.”  He advised, “The best course of action is to have someone monitor the fence, pool and adjacent areas for damage or hire a consultant to monitor these areas as they are the closest to the construction.”

In 1997, Prieto was the assistant director of building and zoning for Miami Shores, responsible for ensuring the safety of the demolition project to take down the Biscayne Kennel Club, a dog track outside Miami.  During the demolition, a significant portion of the grandstand and club area collapsed, killing two brothers whose company was hired to remove debris.  A third man, the brother of the two dead men, was trapped under the rubble but later rescued.

In the ensuing investigation, if was discovered that a subcontractor hired to undertake the demolition by the company awarded the contract was unlicensed, uninsured and unregistered.

Prieto later told a local newspaper that his only role in the demolition project was to make sure it was proceeding on schedule, “not that workers were using proper procedures,” the Miami Herald paraphrased him saying.

“Everything was going according to plan,” the Associated Press quoted Prieto saying. “From what I hear, this is just a construction accident. Accidents can happen,” he said.

The city of Surfside is now advising all management companies, owners and resident boards of buildings that are three stories or higher and more than 30 years old to hire consulting engineers to review their structures.  They’re also recommending the buildings undertake a geological survey to review the soil and foundations of the buildings.

Prieto left Surfside in October and started working at C.A.P. Government Inc., a company that provides building inspection services to municipalities, billing him out at $110 per hour.  He was serving in an interim capacity as building inspector for Doral, Florida while they undertake a search for a full-time inspector.

Created by potrace 1.16, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2019

MAGA Senators still fine-tuning Hegseth defenses

2 hours ago

NASA developing phone-sized aquatic probes to explore Europa

3 hours ago

Venezuelan forces lay siege to Argentinian embassy in Caracas

15 hours ago

Fox News reports wokeness ruining country music industry

1 day ago

Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte says she’s ordered assassin to kill President Ferdinand Marcos immediately if/when she is killed

1 day ago

Random thoughts Friday, Volume CCI

2 days ago

Hungarian Nazi enthusiast named to National Security post

2 days ago

We’re gonna miss him when he’s gone

2 days ago

Hedge fund manager going to play with a lot more people’s money

2 days ago

Maine Republican declared winner of election for state seat by one vote after being arrested for choking wife in October

2 days ago

Canadian Clustertruck captain convicted

2 days ago

Top German conservative activist dies at 96

2 days ago

Guy who can’t get webcasts to work interested in buying MSNBC

2 days ago

Texas Supreme Court gets Ken Paxton out of a jam

2 days ago

Matt Gaetz says he won’t be back in Congress on January 3rd

2 days ago

Judge Merchan indefinitely postpones Trump sentencing

2 days ago

Mike Rogers not under consideration for FBI chief: Trump minion

2 days ago

MAGA Land urges children to sacrifice new toys for America First

2 days ago

Tucker says he told Johnson to “check with Putin” on Ukraine aid

2 days ago

Team Orange “blindsided” by Hegseth rape accusation

2 days ago

Convicted California pedophile faces 740 years to life in prison

3 days ago

New York man actually laser eye-memes fucking Kevin McCarthy

3 days ago

“He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration”: Trump on Gaetz withdrawal

3 days ago

Matt Gaetz pulls out before things got even more messy

3 days ago

Republicans don’t actually know how mass deportation will work

3 days ago

MAGA propagandists put on nominee defense duty

3 days ago

Barrasso comes out in support of Pete Hegseth

3 days ago

Allegation: Hegseth drugged, sexually assaulted woman

3 days ago

ICC issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu

3 days ago

Bobby Jr agreed that Trump fans are “Nazis” back in 2016

3 days ago

Florida man arrested for planning to bomb Wall Street

4 days ago

Out of control inflation: banana sells for $5 million

4 days ago

House Republicans lining up to sink Gaetz nomination

4 days ago

Not The Onion: Alex Jones sues Sandy Hook families, The Onion

4 days ago

Capitol rioter convicted of plotting to murder FBI agents

4 days ago

House Ethics fails to agree to release Gaetz investigation report

4 days ago

Elon Musk got a lot done today

4 days ago

Orange Pharaoh rages over pushback to his shitty picks

4 days ago

Laken Riley’s killer convicted

4 days ago

Bald asshole former acting AG gets NATO ambassador nod

4 days ago

Grindr user “SenatorPartySlut1776” complies with blackmail terms

4 days ago

Freeman and Moss ask judge to hold Rudy in contempt

4 days ago

Jaydee stuck trying to sell Senate GOP on Gaetz

4 days ago

Surprise! Bobby Jr bought into “plandemic” shit in 2020

4 days ago

Walmart CFO says they’re getting ready to jack up prices

4 days ago

US Embassy in Kyiv shuts down over anticipated Russian attack

4 days ago

AG-designate Gaetz helped pay $10K in tuition for two underprivileged sex workers, Committee investigation found

5 days ago

Wrestling executive to head US Education Department

5 days ago

Guy accused of battery who cheated on wife once wrote of one’s “moral responsibility” while at Ivy League. (No, the other guy)

5 days ago

SpaceX landing aborted with Donald watching

5 days ago

x
x
x
x
x
x