Partial roof collapse at Algo Centre Mall

[BUGABOO]

This is a terrible situation. And its hard to take in that this happened 2 days ago and they still have not been in to save anyone. I know they need to make sure its safe, thats understandable. I cant imagine being trapped in there for 2 days. I have a feeling some are going to die that could of lived if they were able to of been saved when it happened

[bluekrissyspikes]

http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2249921293/

this is from this morning, a local woman talking about the condition of the mall beforehand and stuff

[Verotik]

they are removing pieces with a crane right now, trying to take out the large unstable pieces so they can go in without causing more deaths. i am glad they are finally talking. they should not have waited so long. the list of missing is down to nine for the time being. hopefully it will be lower than that. i am kind of numb. i have heard from a family member who was in the foodcourt when this happened that there were at least two people he saw that could not have lived. we, in the community have no idea who the victims/possible victims are although i have heard that a friends mother is unaccounted for. i am very angry that this was allowed to happen and that seems to be the theme amongst just about everyone i've heard from. why has this building passed inspection so long? why was it allowed to stay open when there were so many problems with it? as long as i can remember that piece of cement has 'wobbled', i stood there so many times waiting for a ride home with groceries and felt the ground shake every time a car drove over it, just that one section that fell. can you imagine if this had happened on the 20th when half the town and their kids were in the mall?

as you say, thankfully the mall was not full of children at the time, this would have been much worse.

[ssmarie]

very good video and it sure expains all the work that is going on to save people. I realize it is taking a long time but precautionary steps need to be in place first and rescuers can't just rush in to save people or there will be even more deaths......

[MaO3]

I just read on a news site that the escalator is shifitng and moving. Very dangerous situation for searchers and the guys working to remove the debris

[bluekrissyspikes]

one person has now been officially reported dead by officials.

[Soundbear]

30 still missing. It's almost unbelievable.

[bluekrissyspikes]

the rescue efforts are being called up. the special 911 team that came is packing up and leaving right now. people are gathering downtown in outrage. one person is alive in there, they could be seen with heat sensing equipment. they have decided it is too dangerous to continue searching, the remaining escalator/stair case is going to collapse and possibly take the whole area out. dogs are being sent home as well. locals will remain on the scene although there will be no one else going in to look for survivors. this is turning my stomach. i understand they must be safe but to leave someone in there to die.....idk.

[b&aMom]

Elliot Lake Standard website just reported rescue has ceased. . Rescue mission is over, was how they worded it.

[bluekrissyspikes]

this is from facebook:

Algo Employee Disaster Fund aka Elliot Lake Relief Fund - is now officially established at both the Royal Bank and Scotiabank branches in Elliot Lake.

To donate through the Scotiabank:
(this is insitution, transit, account numbers)
002 57422 0085928



To donate through the Royal Bank:
(this is insitution, transit, account numbers)
003 01342 1002146

This fund was set up to raise funds to help support the estimate 300 employees who are now without employment as a consequence of the Algo Mall Roof Collapse disaster.

[Karen-Annie]

I can absolutely sympathize with the frustration and anger with the decision to abandon the rescue effort. On the other hand I can also sympathize the crews with what I know must be a devastating decision to make. And finally, if there are now serious and valid concerns that the place is so unstable the whole darn thing could come down without warning, there should be a HUGE hue and cry and demands for a public inquiry in how such an inherently dangerous building could continue to pass inspections DESPITE ongoing long-term problems.

[Super Gram]

I agree with you KA.....I hope there is an inquiery but if there is it will take about a year. By then I hope the owners of the mall get the pants sued off them.

[Soundy's Beard]

I agree with you KA.....I hope there is an inquiery but if there is it will take about a year. By then I hope the owners of the mall get the pants sued off them.

If they passed inspections, why blame the owners?

[Huggy85]

If they passed inspections, why blame the owners?

Sadly, buildings only require inspection when they are being built. But the engineer who certified the place as sound last month should hang!

With the issues that have gone on for years, both the owner and the city government should be charged under Bill C-45!

[Soundy's Beard]

Sadly, buildings only require inspection when they are being built. But the engineer who certified the place as sound last month should hang!

With the issues that have gone on for years, both the owner and the city government should be charged under Bill C-45!

Agreed. I won't claim to know anything about it but I think jumping on the owners would be a bit premature.

[KDawg]

See the 13:45 mark in tonight's local 6 o'clock news. After the rescue team from Toronto announced this is no longer a rescue effort but a recovery effort, the woman in the video asks a great question..."Why can't we bring a mine rescue team in here?"

http://northernontario.ctv.ca/saultstemarie/index.html

[Huggy85]

See the 13:45 mark in tonight's local 6 o'clock news. After the rescue team from Toronto announced this is no longer a rescue effort but a recovery effort, the woman in the video asks a great question..."Why can't we bring a mine rescue team in here?"

http://northernontario.ctv.ca/saultstemarie/index.html

And a great answer..... this is not a mine. Mine rescue teams (with which I am very, very familiar) are not trained for these conditions. And if mine rescue teams are told that a mine opening could collapse at any minute (like they said of the mall), they will not enter either until they know it is secure.

[KDawg]

And a great answer..... this is not a mine. Mine rescue teams (with which I am very, very familiar) are not trained for these conditions. And if mine rescue teams are told that a mine opening could collapse at any minute (like they said of the mall), they will not enter either until they know it is secure.

Fair enough. All I know about this tragedy is from what I see in the local news. But how long was the rescue effort, and what measures were taken to secure the area for rescue workers?

[Huggy85]

Fair enough. All I know about this tragedy is from what I see in the local news. But how long was the rescue effort, and what measures were taken to secure the area for rescue workers?

I heard the news conference at 5 and the rescuer boss stated that the roof and especially the escalator was continuing to move, especially as they removed a piece of rubble. An engineer on site said he was surprised that the entire mall hadn't collapsed already. It is being ordered demolished by the Ministry of Labour as it cannot be made safe; it's a house of cards....

[BUGABOO]

This is so so bad I could not imagine being the persons stuck down there waiting for help. No food water. Now to find out no one is going to come save you and you are going to die this makes me sick to my stomach really. There has to be away to help them. I dont know how they can just give up when there are alive people. I know its not safe but find a way to do it. Its been 3 days and nothing fell yet?
As for the ******* who inspected the place a few months ago and said all is good, she should be shot, or thrown down there with the others. Its his fault they are dead and trapped and dying. If others could figure put it was unsafe by looking why could he not, it is his job? Idiot.