Philly controller to audit demolition practices

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia’s city controller plans an audit of demolition practices in the city in the aftermath of a June 5 building collapse that killed six people and injured 12 others.

Philly.com reports Alan Butkovitz’s office sent a letter today to the city’s commissioner of licenses and inspections, Carlton Williams. Butkovitz says his office intends to audit the “policies and procedures” used by L&I and other agencies to monitor public and private demolition projects.

The district attorney’s office, City Council and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration are already conducting investigations into the collapse, in which a building under demolition collapsed onto a Salvation Army thrift store downtown. Two employees and four customers were killed.

Police allege a heavy-equipment operator had been high on marijuana.