The progress in cleaning up and holding accountable those responsible for the tragedy has been sluggish, and in New Orleans, the collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel occurred two years ago. (WVUE) – It’s.
Two blocks of N. Rampart Street, which divides the area from the renowned Saenger Theatre, are still inaccessible. The only thing that exists now is an empty plot enclosed by a chain-link fence. It was only in April that the final debris was removed from the significant French Quarter. The structure, which was demolished in January 2021, no longer exists.
An investigation into the deadly collapse, which was prompted by new city rules, has led to the discovery of missteps that inspectors or engineers who signed off on the inspections of vehicles on the site never showed GPS data despite charges not yet being filed against developers.
Repairs to buildings, streetcar service, roads, and sidewalks are currently in progress, but have been frequently delayed due to equipment problems, a worldwide pandemic, and adverse weather conditions. Litigation is currently being processed in the courts, while demands for criminal charges remain unresolved and investigations are still pending.
Jason Williams, the district attorney of Orleans Parish, claims that although time is running short, certain criminal charges must be filed within a span of two years. Williams further explains that his office is currently awaiting the conclusive results from OSHA in order to proceed with the prosecution process.
The city’s Office of Inspector General suggested felony charges be filed against city employees for their actions in connection with the collapse.
On October 12, 2019, the upper levels of the 18-story structure crumbled, resulting in the deaths of Anthony Floyd Magrette, Jose Ponce Arreola, and Quinnyon Wimberly. Three individuals lost their lives in the incident.
For almost a year, the bodies of Wimberly and Arreola hung above the city center of New Orleans, only protected by tarps.
“When Irene Wimberly finally rested her head on her son’s body bag, she told the Washington Post that all she could sense were bones; she gently caressed it against her cheek.”
Magrette’s corpse was found 48 hours following the collapse.
He said that someone wants to go to prison, according to Father Wimberly’s post. He explained that this was not an “incident.” It was negligence. This can be considered as a murder.
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New Orleans City Council members have taken steps to ensure that the future of the Hard Rock site remains uncertain, as they supported a motion to revoke the developer’s site permit. This decision was made due to the fact that the Hard Rock would have been three times taller than what city regulations would normally allow, exceeding the permissible height limit. By taking this action, the Council is ensuring that another high-rise development does not take place on that particular site.
The lawsuit, filed by 1031 Canal Development LLC, stated that the decision to revoke permits for a new high-rise on Canal Street was “arbitrary.” However, plans for the construction of the high-rise are still intact.
The developers issued a statement on Tuesday morning, marking the two-year anniversary of the collapse.
Today, the owner of Canal 1031, joins many others in remembering those who were the victims of the tragedy that occurred two years ago, which may potentially bring closure to some and affected all those involved. Looking ahead, the project looks forward to the release of the remaining OSHA investigation results, while remaining mindful of the families who are still affected by this incident.
