Large cranes moved in Sunday to help stabilize a collapsed parking garage in Rockville, Md., after rescuers located the body of a missing construction worker in the rubble Saturday. Two other construction workers died in the collapse of the seven-story structure, which was 60 percent to 70 percent complete when it fell Friday.
A fourth victim is hospitalized in critical condition. About 60 Montgomery County search-and-rescue workers scoured the pancaked parking garage for 23 hours before finding the body of the missing man.
A tower crane held up the one remaining wall of the garage Sunday as welders strengthened joints and added braces to the structure.
Maryland’s occupational safety agency is investigating the accident. Officer Derek Baliles, a spokesman for the Montgomery County police, told the Baltimore Sun there was no indication of criminal involvement in the accident.
Some of the construction workers who had been building the garage returned to the scene to help with the stabilization efforts.
The victim found Friday and the hospitalized man were employees of Buckner Steel Erection of Graham, N.C. Buckner is a subcontractor for James G. Davis Construction, the project’s general contractor.
Officials of James G. Davis Construction said crews will dismantle the remaining wall and then investigators from the occupational safety agency will remove debris, looking for clues to tell them why the structure collapsed.
