The I-Team at News Center 7 has learned new details about last month’s deadly building collapse in Auglaize County.
According to News Center 7 at 5:00 and 6:00, two men were working on repairs at a building on East Spring Street when it collapsed on July 31.
News Center 7’s I-Team discovered that the work that occurred when the building collapsed was not properly permitted.
The building’s owner hired them and previously told the I-Team that he was aware of structural issues prior to the collapse.
Rob England is the Chief Building Official for the Miami County Department of Development, but his responsibilities take him all over the Miami Valley.
“We handle all building regulations for Miami, Darke, Mercer, Auglaize, and Shelby counties,” England told me.
The department is in charge of inspecting buildings throughout the City of St. Marys.
“We’re under contract with the City of Saint Marys to do the building inspection for new construction,” England told the audience. “Or new repairs to commercial buildings.”
“Once a certificate of occupancy has been issued or if it’s an existing building, that is the authority of the fire department,” England reiterated.
Kevin Sharp, the worker who survived the collapse that killed his friend, previously told News Center 7’s John Bedell that they were working to strengthen a wall so that a mason contractor could fix it.
England told the I-Team that his department looked into the work being done when the building caved.
“The owner should have, or the contractor absolutely should have, contacted us to get the repairs approved before he even started them,” he told me.
England confirmed that there were no permits for the work that ultimately killed Brown.
St Marys Fire Chief Doug Ayers previously told the I-Team that he inspected the building in October after receiving safety concerns from a citizen.
During the inspections, he identified and documented structural issues.
“And we had talked to the building owner about that, and he was supposed to be taking care of it,” Ayers told me.
John Bedell of News Center 7 asked England if Ayers should have informed any other agencies about what he observed, and how that inspection should have been followed up on.
“I can’t comment on anything with the City of St. Marys or the Fire Department up there,” England told me.
According to investigators, Sharp and Brown were working as subcontractors for the building’s owner, Todd Klosterman, when the deadly collapse occurred.
News Center 7 has reached out to the federal agency for comment, and we are waiting to hear back.
The St. Marys Police Department also confirmed that they are investigating the collapse; however, specifics on what is being investigated were not immediately available.
Auglaize County Prosecutor Ben Elder said he had a “preliminary” discussion with the interim chief shortly after the collapse about “how to proceed”.
News Center 7’s John Bedell called Klosterman on Friday, but he declined to comment.
