Witness Notes Communication Lapse in Ontario Mall Collapse Testimony
The 2005 report, written by M.R. Wright & Associates, said the Elliot Lake Public Library in the mall had had water leaking from the parking lot above since the library was set up there 16 years prior.
“I take it you’ve never read this report prior to us giving it to you,” Carr-Harris asked.
“No,” Wood replied.
“So if you had known about the documents, you would have been very concerned about [their content]?”
“I would have gone to the library to see what effect 16 years of leaking would have on the library structure.”
“So obviously anyone who read this [report] would know it’s a parking deck that’s leaking. And it’s causing mold in this case, but you don’t have to be a structural engineer to know that water and salt falling into a structure is not good?”
“That’s correct,” Wood said.
In further questioning, Wood agreed that the writer of the report [from 2005] was saying the leaks needed to be fixed.
“And a structural engineer who looked at that would say [it should be fixed], not just for the mold but for the structure, too?”
“That’s correct,” Wood replied.
“The reason I’m raising this is because in your firm there was knowledge that the leak [existed] in the mid 2000s, clearly known to your firm. And the public want to know, 'how come when you’re asked, you don’t know anything about the leaking in the mall ‘til much later on?'"
“That’s correct,” Wood said.
“And—“
“I can’t explain that,” Wood said.
"And nobody talked to you about it," Carr-Harris asked.
“I was busy on other projects and this was a small project involving mold and the environmental department of my company,” Wood said.
'No Visual Signs...'
According to the report Wood wrote in May, 2012: “In our opinion the observed rusting at this time has not detrimentally changed the load carrying capacities of the structure and no visual signs of structural distress were observed.”
“So in summary the report says that all beams inspected are still structurally sound, that was your conclusion?” Carr-Harris asked.
“I didn't see any reason to not believe that fact,” Wood said.
