After Five Days, Bodies Found in Debris of Collapsed Philadelphia Parking Deck

Henry Savage

The Philadelphia Inquirer

(TNS)

Apr. 13 -- The bodies of two ironworkers who were trapped under the debris of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia garage that collapsed last week have been recovered.

Following the controlled demolition of the garage, recovery crews entered the site at 9 p.m. on Sunday. By the early hours of Monday morning, the two ironworkers were recovered by members of the Philadelphia Fire Department, said Mayor Cherelle L. Parker.

Philadelphia's Ironworkers Union Local 401 identified the men as Matthew Kane and Mark Scott Jr. early Saturday in a social media post, which has since been edited to omit their names. A third ironworker, Stepan Shevchuk, was pulled from the debris the day of the collapse on April 8 and transported to a local hospital, where he died.

"To the men and women of Local 401 and to every member of the Philadelphia Building Trades, let me say this: Philadelphia feels your pain, Philadelphia prays for you, and your city stands with you," Parker said. All flags on city-owned buildings will be lowered to half-staff until sunset on April 17 in their honor.

As crews were building CHOP's new 1,000-car garage at 30th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue, the seven-story garage partially collapsed Wednesday when a precast concrete roof segment "failed" and fell, pinning Kane and Scott Jr., and fatally injuring Shevchuk.

Now with all bodies recovered from the site, crews will transition into the next phase of investigation, Parker said. This means roads will remain closed in the immediate area for the foreseeable future.

The City Solicitor and Law Department have been ordered to conduct an independent investigation into the building collapse and will recommend reforms in how city agencies inspect and license construction projects. Their review, due in 180 days, will determine the contributing cause of the structural failure and whether any city oversight mechanisms need improvement.

Since the collapse, and before the bodies were recovered, rescue crews had to meticulously assess the structural integrity of the partially collapsed garage before sending in recovery crews.

"This was a highly complex and dangerous incident that demanded patience, precision, and constant coordination," said Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson. "Every agency involved worked carefully and deliberately to meet operational objectives while keeping the public and responders safe."

The controlled demolition began Saturday morning.

In the wake of the garage collapse, the stretch of Grays Ferry Avenue closed off to the public is home to the neighborhood's grocery store, post office, and a bank, leaving some neighbors without easy access to necessities. On Sunday, the city hosted a food drive in Grays Ferry for those affected, including many residents who work at the temporarily closed businesses, like Fresh Grocer.

Fritz Blaw, 67, a worker at the shuttered shopping center, said he hadn't worked since Wednesday afternoon at Sunday's food drive. "I don't work, I don't get paid," he said. "I need food."

The Mayor's Business Action Team is providing on-site support at Dixon House, at 1920 S. 20th St., on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help businesses apply for emergency relief through The Merchants Fund.

"This community has endured pain, disruption, and uncertainty," said Parker. "But Philadelphia shows up for one another in moments like these. We grieve together, we recover together, and we move forward together as One Philly, a united city."

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