1 dead, 2 missing in collapse of Philadelphia parking garage under construction

One worker was killed and two others remain missing after part of a parking garage under construction collapsed in Philadelphia, according to city officials. A search and rescue operation is ongoing.

The collapse happened at about 2:17 p.m. on Wednesday at 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue in South Philadelphia, near 30th Street, where officials said a portion of a seven-story parking garage under construction gave way during work on the structure.

The site is owned by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and all five victims are workers, CBS Philadelphia reported.

Mayor Cherelle Parker said one person was rescued from the scene and taken to a hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after 3 p.m. Two other workers were treated and released, while two more remain unaccounted for.

Fire commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said firefighters began search and rescue operations immediately after members of nearby Squad 47 heard the collapse and responded. He said crews carried out a surface search and rescued three people right away, but the building remains unstable and engineers are being used to help make it safe enough for a more complete search.

“We have not been able to make contact, but that doesn’t mean they are not in a survivable place,” Thompson said, referring to the two unaccounted-for workers.

City officials said the collapse was contained to the 30th Street side of the stair tower, where all seven levels of the stair system failed.

According to Mayor Parker, workers were installing precast concrete flooring, decking and roofing segments when a precast roof segment failed after placement and fell to the level below, triggering a progressive collapse across connected sections on all seven levels.

The general contractor on the project is HSC Builders & Construction, while the subcontractor is Precast Services, Inc., Parker said.

Parker said the project had the required permits and that inspections were up to date. She said the shopping plaza and surrounding stores in the immediate area would remain closed as search and rescue operations continue, with no timeline yet for reopening.

The collapse is under investigation by city authorities.