st. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) – A building inspector found safety concerns at an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, which is being rebuilt, after a tornado killed six of him, records show.
On December 9, 2021, the warehouse was hit by an EF-3 tornado. A storm ripped off part of the roof and collapsed the walls. The warehouse did not have a wind shelter.
About half of the warehouse was damaged and is currently being rebuilt.
News 4 Investigators have obtained an inspection report for the new part of the building. These records show that inspectors found that some of the pillars supporting the warehouse were not properly installed and needed to be fixed.
In August, inspectors noted “loose or missing anchor bolts” on nearly a dozen structural columns. These columns are key to the structural safety of the building. Edwardsville building codes require columns to be anchored to the foundation.
Another report within a month showed that inspectors had noted that the pillar had been “repaired.”
According to the latest inspection report, the construction at the warehouse meets the code.
Amazon stresses that the company does not own any warehouses and leases the space.
“I think it’s important to remember that we are warehouse tenants and the landlord needs to restore the building to its pre-tornado condition. That’s what he’s doing,” Earlier this month, News 4 During an interview with Investigates.
These latest inspection records aren’t the first time the warehouse support column has been asked. A report by News 4 Investigates revealed that a technician called in the night of the tornado claimed to have seen a stanchion that was not properly secured.
News 4 Investigates continues to reach out to Amazon for its findings. When asked earlier this month, Nantel said: So it’s not appropriate to go into that detail. But I can say again that the building was built according to regulations and thoroughly inspected. “
Amazon didn’t say if the investigation would be made public.
One thing that is clear is that warehouse inspection records have changed since the tornado.
When the warehouse was first built in 2017, the report was one page long and included a checklist marking what the inspector saw and whether the work passed or failed the inspection. . The public inspection record did not contain any notes, test results, or photographs. News 4 also found that many of the inspections were done by inspectors working directly for the city.
Public inspection records found by News 4 Investigates after the tornado include photos of the wall to concrete foundation, detailed notes, and test results. Most of the tests were conducted by third-party companies that the city commissioned to conduct the tests.
City inspectors and city representatives declined to be interviewed.
Instead, a spokesperson sent a statement, saying in part that the discrepancies in the records were due to the tornado.
“The goal of both the International Code Council Building Code and the inspection process adopted by the City is to provide buildings that comply with the requirements of the adopted Code. We guarantee quality development and construction.
“If a problem is found on the job site during the inspection process, we address the problem, document the situation, and notify the contractor to correct the work.
“Understanding the site’s sad importance and growing interest, the contractor has provided additional documentation as part of the third party inspection process.
“At regular inspections, more detailed notes and photographs are often associated with identified concerns.”
When asked to comment on the story, Amazon declined, sending the following statement from Nantel:
“Amazon is the tenant of the building and the landlord is responsible for all aspects of the reconstruction project, which we monitor closely. Best to answer: We will only use the building again if we have complete confidence in its structural integrity.”
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