Community Corner

Report: Repair of Westfield Parking Garage Delayed

The construction of a Westfield Montgomery mall parking garage that partially collapsed last May has been delayed while safety and accountability issues are addressed, The Washington Post reported.

Construction on the Westfield Montgomery mall parking garage that partially collapsed in May has been held up until the cause of the partial collapse is fully understood, The Washington Post reported last month.

"County officials ... said they are still awaiting an analysis of why a 50,000-pound slab of concrete gave way in the garage at the Westfield Montgomery mall on May 23. But they said their immediate concern is safety at the fenced-off site, where work has been at a standstill since the accident," The Post reported.

The structural engineer had balked at submitting a report on the condition of the garage before the partial collapse. Late last month, Westfield LLC—the owner of the mall—hired an engineering consultant to "[help] compile a repair plan," The Post added.

The partial collapse of the garage—which was under construction—killed one man and severely injured another, Patch reported

The man who was killed was Carroll Dexter Wills, 57, of Prince Frederick, MD, according to county policePatch reported. The survivor was trapped for four hours before rescuers could free him, Assistant Chief Scott Graham, spokesman for the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, said.

Read more about the accountability issues surrounding the incident on The Post's website.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here