PHILADELPHIA — One person died and two others are missing after a partial collapse of a parking lot under construction in Philadelphia on Wednesday, authorities said.
The collapse occurred at about 2:17 p.m. ET at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in the Grays Ferry neighborhood of the city, KYW reported.
Crews are continuing to search for two other people believed to be trapped under the rubble, according to WCAU. The garage is owned by the hospital, The Associated Press reported.
At least one person is dead and two others are believed to be unaccounted for after a parking garage partially collapsed in the Grays Ferry section of Philadelphia, Action News has learned. https://t.co/2QhGKzEpJJ pic.twitter.com/sVCasO1HRi
— Action News on 6abc (@6abc) April 8, 2026
A roof segment fell, triggering a “progressive collapse of connected sections across all seven levels,” Mayor Cherelle Parker told reporters.
“Let me be very clear about something at this moment: We are not, we will not give up on these individuals and we will not rest until everyone is accounted for from this tragedy,” Parker said. “This is a very, very complex situation.”
Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson said crew initially responding to the scene rescued three people, WCAU reported. One victim was taken to an area hospital and was pronounced dead, according to WPVI. The other two victims were treated and released.
During a news conference, Thompson said the seven-story structure was unsafe and needed to be taken apart to ensure there is no one trapped.
“We’re actually going to deconstruct and delayer this building and that will make it safe for my members to get inside and get down to the lowest levels to ensure that we don’t have any survivors down there,” he said.
Three of the five workers affected by the collapse were members of Ironworkers Union Local 401, a building trades source told KYW. A representative for the union told WCAU that the worker who died was a member of Local 401.
Parker said a subcontractor working at the parking garage was in the process of installing precast concrete flooring, decking and roofing segments, and one of them failed, KYW reported.
“The precast concrete segments were manufactured offsite and installed by the manufacturer,” Parker said. “This process doesn’t require standard L&I (license and inspection) inspection. Instead, it falls under required special inspections that include periodic inspections for precast concrete installations.”
The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections has launched an investigation into the collapse, Parker said. The agency will audit all contractors and subcontractors working on the parking garage.
The mayor added that all permits required for the construction were approved and inspections were up to date, KYW reported.
“Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia is aware of a serious construction incident at our parking garage construction site on 3000 Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “We are prioritizing the safety of the construction workers at this time and working closely with the City of Philadelphia and our construction partners. We will share additional information as it becomes available.”
According to the hospital’s website, the garage is being built to expand employee parking.
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