Editorial: Tragic Davenport collapse should be a wake-up call

On May 28 a 116-year-old building in Davenport, Iowa collapsed. Three people died. Many were injured. Dozens of residents were displaced. Reportedly, there were numerous warning signs. All of them ignored. Now the city has hired two companies to investigate the cause and make it public.It would be easy to dismiss this tragedy. It happened on the other side of the state. It’s another city’s issue. But not so fast. Des Moines is home to many, older buildings. These buildings are home to offices and residents. And occupants of these buildings have every right to feel their buildings are safe. Are inspections happening at the proper intervals? Are inspectors using their best efforts to identify any structural weaknesses? And, are these inspection reports being taken seriously? The owners of the Davenport building pleaded guilty in court to not maintaining safe conditions. The penalty – $300 plus $95 in court fees. We love how cities like Des Moines, Davenport and others are remaking older buildings into cool apartments, condos and offices. It’s made downtown areas vibrant. But the Davenport tragedy should be a wake-up call. Sure, there are pending lawsuits. Victims’ families will have their day in court. But that won’t bring back their loved ones. Enforcement of building maintenance standards must be reviewed and improved in every city. Owners who can’t provide safe living conditions should face much tougher penalties for failing to comply. If we learn anything from this tragedy, it should be to make sure we do everything possible to ensure nothing like this can happen again.