Vancouver City Coun. Suzanne Anton has demanded a full inquiry by an independent investigator into a bungled building demolition that saw an entire wall fall on the sidewalk.
The incident, which was captured on video, happened at a construction site at the corner of Hornby and Helmcken in downtown Vancouver and quickly went viral on YouTube.
“This was a shocking and disturbing accident,” said Anton, who believes lives were at risk on Thursday, and that higher safety standards for construction sites are required.
She also wants Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson to address the incident and look at toughening up bylaws.
“The mayor needs to speak on this…to restore the public’s confidence.”
The YouTube footage consists of two videos depicting the collapse of two separate walls bordering the site.
The first collapse deposits a cascade of rubble perilously close to a stopped vehicle, and nearly topples a traffic light standard.
Then, moments later, a second wall comes down, crushing two newspaper boxes and felling a lamppost, narrowly avoiding oncoming cars and a nearby construction worker.
