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No substitute for luck

E

Earl Weiss

Well-known member
See video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3va41zoxKnU

I am the person on the right.

30 feet of precast ceiling came down without warning. No people or cars in the tunnel. My employee and I had been in there a few minutes earlier. Cars had just gone thru. We were looking at the entrance because I was outside and heard a loud noise. I thought a car had driven in to a wall and was surprised to see the tunnel empty.

Note, the overhead door is upside down and Backward. (At first I thought the ceiling had simply pushed it closed.)

Hope to get open in a couple of months.
 
you were lucky to have no injuries or damage from this!!!!!

glad you are ok.

maybe make an improvement or 2 while you're at it; wyndstar doors, air operators, new pvc panels and maybe an LED light or 3.

there's your silver lining; that and nobody was hurt.
 
WOW. Thank God you are all right. Close calls sometimes make one think about all they have instead of what they don't.
 
Ditto .. that one nobody was hurt or even in this case killed!!!

Earl & others,

We have precast hollow core on top of our car wash ... there is no sign of any kind of deterioration. No offense .... but I am thinking some precast ceiling roofs are better than others.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com
 
mjwalsh said:
Ditto .. that one nobody was hurt or even in this case killed!!!

Earl & others,

We have precast hollow core on top of our car wash ... there is no sign of any kind of deterioration. No offense .... but I am thinking some precast ceiling roofs are better than others.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com
Click to expand...

The pre cast was not deteriorated. My other pre cast buildings have the precast on top of a masonry wall or on top of an I beam. This place had a steel angle welded to the I Beam and then precast sat on the angle. The failure was where the angle attached to the I Beam. No deterioration was noticeable, at least not from ground level.
 
DiamondWash said:
What equipment did that destroy?
Click to expand...

My Sonny's 901 Mitter Wrap Combo is still holding up part of the ceiling but is smushed. Also a variety of entrance arch equipment manifolds, signs, plumbing, electrical, natural gas lines etc. Current equipment cost estimated is about $95,000.00
 
Wow! So glad no one was hurt or killed as well!

So, it was the steel weld that failed? I have a precast roof(with rebar) building that sits on block walls. Just wondering what to look for. This is a great message to all of us about CW safety.
 
A wise car wash guy once told me, "I'de rather be lucky than smart." I mean you don't win the lottery by being smart. I can see why it came down. Holding up a concrete ceiling using a steel angle in a wash bay that sprays water everywhere is just plain stupid. The angle will rust and lose strength. You may be able to go back to the architect or engineer that put it together for compensation. They carry insurance for that.
 
Wow that's scary, good thing it fell before you walked in. That makes me RE think some steel supports I have Been watching on my building. I'm cinder block and there is a steel plate that supports the entance and exits. I have been watching them flake chunks off for the last 8 years. I continue to paint it back together, but watching that makes me realise I need to figure out a way to re support before a major problem. Good luck hope you get up and running as quick as possible.
 
mac said:
You may be able to go back to the architect or engineer that put it together for compensation. They carry insurance for that.
Click to expand...
Building was built in 1964. I think the limitations for this in Illinois is 12 years but I am not sure.
 
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