A judge has given approval to city officials to complete the demolition of the site of a LaSalle building collapse.
LaSalle Building Collapse Site Empty
On the late morning of July 19, 2021, the rear of a building located at 1001 1st Street in LaSalle, IL spontaneously toppled. Following the incident, authorities closed off a two-block area surrounding the site of the LaSalle building collapse and demolished the remaining front half of the structure shortly afterward.
The building was determined to have been empty at the time of the incident. There were no fire or injuries reported in the LaSalle building collapse, and no personal injury attorneys have filed any claims, though a neighboring structure appears to have been damaged.
“Abandoned, Dangerous, and Unsafe”
The structure at the heart of the incident was a long-vacated tavern – named Little El’s in the 1950s and then the First Street Pub in the 1970s. Marcus D. Williams still owned the property at the time of the LaSalle building collapse, having purchased it in a tax sale.
City officials have been actively trying to declare the building abandoned and tear it down for years. The city gained initial approval to do so back in 2019, but a judge later reversed that ruling and granted Williams more time to complete repairs.
In light of the recent LaSalle building collapse, a hearing between Williams and city officials had been scheduled for July 26. However, that hearing never took place. Instead, lawyers for each side conducted closed-door conferences that ended with a signed order from La Salle County Circuit Judge Troy D. Holland.
Holland wrote that Williams had failed to make repairs in the time allotted by the court and that the site of the LaSalle building collapse is “abandoned, dangerous, and unsafe in its present condition.” He authorized the city to complete the structure’s demolition and clear the remaining debris.
Have You Been Injured in a Building Collapse?
While nobody seems to have been hurt in the LaSalle building collapse, far too often these incidents have tragic outcomes. There are approximately eight building collapse disasters worldwide each year, resulting in 343 deaths annually. Each building collapse kills an average of 38 people, though some are far more deadly, like the Surfside condominium collapse in Florida, where 98 deaths have been reported.
If you have been injured in a building collapse in Illinois, you might be eligible to obtain financial compensation by pursuing a premises liability claim. In order to maximize the value of this compensation, consider following in the footsteps of thousands of other satisfied clients and reach out to the dedicated personal injury attorneys at GWC Injury Lawyers LLC.
With over $2 billion recovered in verdicts and settlements, GWC is one of the premier Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation law firms in Illinois. No other personal injury attorneys in the state are more respected – or more feared – by their adversaries, both inside and outside of the courtroom. We have the experience, the determination, the resources, and the well-earned reputation of success you need to help get you and your family the justice you deserve.
Contact GWC today to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation with one of our knowledgeable personal injury attorneys. You may call our office at (312) 464-1234 or click here to chat with a representative at any time.
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