Collapsed Amazon warehouse had construction defects, says family of slain worker

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An attorney for the family of a worker who died in the collapse of the Amazon warehouse said that the building code may have made it extremely vulnerable.

Six people were killed when a tornado tore through the Amazon distribution center in Illinois on December 10th. A report filed by a structural engineer who was asked by local officials to assess the damage after the tornado states that supporting columns in parts of the warehouse may not have been properly secured to the ground.

I became concerned when I saw that the columns were not torn from the base. The report describes the ease with which columns lifted out of the floor as similar to a peg coming out of a hole.

The report was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by a lawyer representing the family of Austin McEwen, a delivery driver who died while huddling with other workers in a warehouse restroom for shelter. McEwen's family is going to introduce it as part of their wrongful death lawsuit.

The document suggests that the warehouse building was constructed in violation of local and international building codes. The engineer found no evidence that the columns were anchored to the floor.

I could not find a welded or bolted connection at the base of the column, and only a bead of caulk around the column at the finished floor line, according to the report.

The McEwen family lawyer said on the call that the columns appeared to be anchored in other parts of the warehouse.

The building was built before Amazon leased it, but the family believes that Amazon should have spotted the deficiencies. The building lacked a basement shelter where employees might have been able to take cover.

Even though forecasts warned of tornadoes in the area at least a day in advance, Amazon pushed its employees to continue working. Amazon did not respond to the inquiry immediately. It is premature and misleading to suggest that there were structural issues in the building, as investigators continue to conduct a comprehensive forensic examination of the building and debris. The original developer completed construction on this building in compliance with all applicable building codes as documented by the city and the original owner. When Amazon leased the building, it was re-inspected and passed City inspections.

The engineer ends the report with a note of caution, saying that concerns about the design of the building would require more analysis by other professionals before any conclusions could be reached.

According to the McEwen family's lawyer, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into what happened that day.