HACKENSACK GARAGE COLLAPSE
Hackensack Fire Dept Lt. Stephen Lindner conducts a press conference at 300 Prospect Street, Hackensack, the site of the garage collapse.
By Joseph Lepore
HACKENSACK – City officials were scrambling to make sense of the collapse of two levels of an underground parking garage at a luxury high rise at 300 Prospect Ave. on Friday, July 15. Earlier, they had vowed to determine the cause. The initial collapse was followed by another the next day that sheared utility lines, cutting off power, gas and water. No one was trapped in the collapse and no injuries were reported, although tenants, who were evacuated, do not know when they can return to their homes.
The building’s atrium gave way causing two ramps of the parking garage below to collapse and pancake on top of another. At approximately 10 a.m., residents described hearing and feeling what sounded like an earthquake. Moments later their lobby entrance was submerged.
Dr. Dennis Parham was working on his computer in his 8th floor apartment in Prospect Towers when all of a sudden he heard what sounded like screeches followed by a loud noise. He quickly ran to his window and saw the atrium had fallen into and on top of the parking garage below. When he saw the extent of the damage he grabbed his camera and made his way down. Once in the hallway he noticed the power had gone out and the elevator was not working, so he (and other residents) used the stairs to evacuate the building. “We were looking at each other in the hall, wondering what was going on. There was no panic but we just wanted to know what to do,” he said. As soon as he reached the area he began taking pictures of the scene and he was concerned that there might be someone trapped in the rubble.
An elderly woman who was overcome with exhaustion is taken for medical treatment from Prospect Towers, the scene of the garage collapse.
The 18-story high-rise was quickly evacuated and emergency help was quick to respond. The street was closed off as rescuers tried to dig through the debris and soil to see if anyone was trapped in a car; no victims were found. Special cameras were put in place to search through the parking levels that were on top of each other. Trying to assess the situation was difficult since all damage was below ground. However, what could have been a deadly scene turned out alright after it was determined that no one was in a car at the time of collapse.
Several residents complained of a leaking ceiling in the parking garage and have been doing so for months. Recently a tree was up rooted and there was a sink hole next to the building. Some residents questioned if that maybe was the cause of the foundation weakening. The cause and exact location of the breach is still being investigated. In the meantime residents were not allowed to enter the building for fear of structural damage. Residents in the neighboring buildings were not evacuated but were prohibited from driving into their parking garage as a safety precaution in case there was any structural damage to the building.
An engineer’s report from March claimed that “A significant volume of water is pouring through the interface between the ceiling slab and the column.” The report went on to cite other infractions and irregularities and concluded by recommending that the circular driveway and ramp be closed off.
Although residents were not permitted to enter the building, Red Cross workers did a sweep of the building checking all apartments for people and pets that didn’t make it out. It’s going to be a while before anyone will be allowed back and Equity Residential Properties, the building management, says they will reimburse tenants who need to stay at area hotels. However, many tenants are not sure they want to return out of fear that this might just be the beginning of something worse about to come. “I don’t want to be in my apartment if the building is unsafe. God forbid the whole building collapses, I’m too scared” said one longtime resident who asked not to be identified.
There were no injuries reported, but if it had been an hour or two earlier, things could have been very different, said one resident. As we were talking, an elderly woman was taken away in a stretcher. Although she didn’t appear to have any injuries an EMS worker said she was overcome and needed medical attention.
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