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22nd and Market building collapse
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On June 5, 2013, a building collapsed at the southeast corner of 22nd and Market streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, trapping a number of people under the rubble. Six people died and fourteen others were injured. Details Background An unoccupied four-story building was under demolition by Griffin Campbell Construction for several weeks prior to the accident. The building was adjacent to a one-story building with a Salvation Army store operating on the ground and basement levels. The store was open and full of shoppers and staff. Collapse At 10:43 am, the four-story building under demolition collapsed onto the one-story building next door. The buildings crashed down with crumbling brick and wood snapping. Six people died and fourteen people were injured. A 61-year-old woman was trapped for 13 hours and then hospitalized at Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in critical condition. The thirteen other injuries were minor. After the collapse, an 18-year-old high school student walking by the building during its collapse rushed to the scene and spent fifteen minutes trying to free people from the rubble before emergency crews arrived. A lawsuit was filed on June 6 for financial damages on behalf of Nadine White, the survivor who was buried under rubble. City officials began inspecting hundreds of demolition sites throughout the city due to the accident. The demolition contractor violated several federal safety regulations and it was said that the building's owner should have picked a more qualified and competent contractor to do the work. Suspect Sean Benschop, the crane operator working on the demolition job at time, will be charged with six counts of involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count of risking a catastrophe. A blood test performed after the collapse revealed marijuana in his body system. Fatalities The fatalities consisted of five women and one man.<ref name=philly/>
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