Algo Centre Mall
Inquiry
### Inquiry

John Kadlec, a consulting engineer on the original construction, has testified that he raised concerns at the time about sloppy workmanship and inadequate construction materials at the site, including structural columns that were already crooked, steel beams that were already rusting despite being new, and the fateful decision to place the complex's parking area on the roof. According to Kadlec, the construction company opted to resolve the structural issues not by redoing the construction, but by anchoring the building's back wall to the rock outcropping behind it. James Keywan, the building's original architect, testified that he also strongly objected to the rooftop parking, but had little choice once Algocen made their decision to proceed with that plan.["Architect of Algo Centre Mall was against rooftop parking, inquiry told"](http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/11/architect-of-algo-centre-mall-was-against-rooftop-parking-inquiry-told). *[Toronto Sun](/wiki/Toronto_Sun "Toronto Sun")*, March 11, 2013\.

The son of the mall's owner admitted that the company had pressured engineers to remove information on leaks and corrosion from a report and that fictional repair invoices from a shell company, Empire Roofing and Restoration, were used to mislead mortgage holder [Royal Bank of Canada](/wiki/Royal_Bank_of_Canada "Royal Bank of Canada") about the building's condition.["Elliot Lake : rapport maquillé et compagnie\-écran"](http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/ontario/2013/07/16/002-elliot-lake-effondrement-nazarian-jour2.shtml). [Radio\-Canada](/wiki/CBC_News "CBC News"), July 16, 2013\.

Speakers at the inquiry have also testified that a significant volume of city traffic regularly cut across the roof deck as a [bypass](/wiki/Bypass_%28road%29 "Bypass (road)") of the traffic lights at the corner of Hillside Drive and Ontario Avenue, resulting in more stress on the structure than it had been designed to handle. The NORR report speculated that a heavy vehicle might have contributed to a previously undetected partial failure of the support structure a few months prior to the final collapse.

The inquiry also found that while Perizzolo died almost instantly, Aylwin may have survived for up to 39 hours after the collapse, and may have been found alive if HUSAR had not suspended its rescue operations.["Elliot Lake fatal mall collapse comes down to 'human failure,' report says"](http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/elliot-lake-fatal-mall-collapse-comes-down-to-human-failure-report-says-1.2799021). [CBC News](/wiki/CBC_News "CBC News"), October 15, 2014\.


What measures can be taken to prevent stress on structures from heavy traffic?