NBC Philadelphia – In a final message before taking his life, the lead building inspector responsible for a Center City building that collapsed last week said he was to blame for the deadly disaster.
“It was my fault. I should have looked at those guys working, and I didn’t,” Ronald Wagenhoffer said in a video recorded on his cell phone.
NBC10 Philadelphia has learned the 52-year-old veteran Philadelphia Licenses & Inspections staffer recorded the one-minute long message for his family.
Wagenhoffer was found dead around 9:30 Wednesday night of an apparent suicide, city officials confirmed at a press conference Thursday.
Law enforcement sources say Wagenhoffer shot himself once in the chest inside his pickup truck along a wooded section of the 100 block of Shawmont Avenue in the Roxborough neighborhood of Philadelphia. That’s less than a mile from his home.
In the video, Wagenhoffer says he couldn’t sleep and blamed himself for the building collapse at 2136 Market Streets that killed six and injured 13 when the building collapsed onto a store on June 5.
He admitted he never truly inspected an adjacent work site after a citizen complained about safety concerns, although he reported there were no violations found.
“When I saw it was too late. I should have parked my truck and went over there but I didn’t. I’m sorry,” Wagenhoffer said in the message.
City officials said Wagenhoffer was sent to the demolition site of 2134 Market Street on May 14 — that’s adjacent to the building that collapsed at 2136 Market Street.
The inspection was set to take place after Center City resident Stephen Field complained to the city’s 311 call center about a lack of safety equipment on workers and adequate protection of the sidewalk. The city has been saying for a week that no issues were found.
Last Wednesday, the four-story outer wall of 2136 Market Street crumbled onto the Salvation Army Thrift Store next door. Six people were killed in the collapse — three employees and three patrons. The wall also buried 13 others who were in different areas throughout the store, including the basement. They were eventually rescued by citizens and first responders.
Excavator operator Kane R. Robert, also known as Sean Benschop, stands charged in the collapse. Investigators with the District Attorney’s homicide unit say he tested positive for the pain killer Percocet and marijuana on the day of the collapse. They allege he was in no condition to operate heavy machinery. A grand jury has been convened to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
L&I records also show Wagenhoffer completed and passed an initial inspection at 2136 Market Street on Feb. 25.
City officials said that fellow employees and L&I Commissioner Carlton Williams reached out to Wagenhoffer in the days after the collapse.
“This man did nothing wrong,” Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison said at a press conference Thursday. “The department did what it was supposed to do under the code that existed at the time.”
Although, this new revelation seems to suggest otherwise. We’ve reached out to Mayor Michael Nutter’s Office for comment.
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