WORLD NEWS | OFFICIAL: Heavy ice likely factor in Alaska stadium collapse

ANCHORAGE, Feb. 26 (AP) — Thick ice accumulated on the roof of a gymnasium that collapsed earlier this month, killing one person and trapping two, an Anchorage official said.

The city’s acting building officer, Ross Noffsinger, said the “enormous” ice buildup on the roof of the Turnagain CrossFit gym far exceeded the weight listed in the city’s design and construction codes, the Anchorage Daily News reported Friday.

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The collapse occurred during a fitness competition on the night of February 17. One woman was killed in the collapse and two others were temporarily trapped. There were more than 10 people in the gym at the time.

“The roof area is generally quite large, and it looks like a good portion of the roof slopes in that direction,” Noffsigner said, referring to the northeast corner of the building where the gymnasium is located.

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Novsinger said the city is still awaiting the engineer’s report on the structure and that more analysis must be done before officials can reach a final conclusion. But he said the ice could be more than double the city’s design standard of 40 pounds per square foot for snow and ice.

A contractor hired by the building’s owner said that while ice may have been a factor, other issues could have contributed to the collapse. Chuck Dunn of Dunn Contractors and Associates said he is working with a structural engineering firm and their analysis will include the building’s condition, history and construction materials.

“We still have a lot to determine, so it’s too early to say why,” Dunn said. (Associated Press)

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