SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - The Barrio Logan building at the center of a platform collapse, which injured nearly two dozen kids, has been hit with a dozen building code violations, documents reveal.
The documents revealed Vault PK, the indoor parkour gym in which the platform collapsed, was in violation of building codes including:
"The unpermitted change of occupancy from an 'S' (Storage) to an A-3 (Assembly-Amusement.) Unpermitted uses include a Parkour Gymnasium, Paintball Facility, Mixed Martial Arts facility, Arcade/Gaming center and Cross-Fit facility. The property was not designed or permitted for assembly and entertainment use and lacks the required egress, number of exits, exit door hardware, exit signs, restrooms, fire sprinkler and alarm system, required for these particular occupancies."
Documents also reveal the building had not received any building permits since 2004.
The city's code enforcement division told 10 News it only does inspections when it's notified of an incident or concern. A spokesperson for Fire-Rescue told us it only does inspections when it knows there's a permitted building to inspect. In this case, a lack of any permits reportedly barred fire inspectors from knowing to perform any inspections.
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The building has already been red-tagged by city officials.
According to the city documents, the building must:
- Cease unpermitted use and occupancy,
- Replace or repair damaged areas of required fire rated separation walls,
- Repair or replace column which has been severely damaged and has compromised the integrity or structural support strength which supports the roof structure, and
- Service and restore Fire Suppression Sprinkler System ensuring full functionality in all parts of the entire building.
The owner of the building has until Dec. 20 to obtain the required permits or remove all unpermitted improvements and return the structure to its previously approved configuration.
The collapse injured 21 children and two adults on Nov. 11, after the group walked onto the platform to eat pizza. The injuries were considered to be mild to moderate.
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System owns the property where the building sits. The city of San Diego says MTS is strictly liable for the violations. MTS issued a statement following the notice of violations:
First and foremost, MTS extends its heartfelt regret to the children and families involved in the accident last Saturday night. We wish everyone a speedy recovery.
Preventing this type of accident from happening again is the focus of our efforts.The cause of the accident was not associated with the integrity of the building. Additionally, MTS’ lease with the tenant clearly requires it to obtain all city permits and to comply with all of its regulations. Unfortunately, this did not happen.
To prevent this type of accident in the future, MTS is conducting a comprehensive review of its property management practices to ensure that tenants comply with all city laws, regulations, ordinances and codes.Additionally, MTS has already taken corrective action for the violations solely associated with the MTS building. The fire suppression system has been corrected and a contractor will assess damage to a support column and fire walls. (NOTE: None of these violations were in the area in which the accident occurred and none were associated with the accident.)
MTS is also hiring third parties to investigate the cause of the accident.MTS will make a full presentation to the Board of Directors upon the completion of its internal reviews and investigations.
City officials discussed the investigation into the building outside the Barrio Logan location Thursday:
