PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA (BNO NEWS) -- Authorities have confirmed six deaths after two buildings collapsed in the state of Pennsylvania on Wednesday morning.

A four-story building collapsed downtown Philadelphia, the state capital, and onto a two-story building where a Salvation Army Thrift Store is located on the Center City's busy Market Street. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at around 10:45 a.m. local time.

The vacant building was being demolished when the operation, which was being supervised by architect Plato Marinakos, Jr., went terribly wrong and ended up crushing the neighboring building.

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter during a late Wednesday night press conference confirmed the deaths of five women and one man. Shortly after his statement, a 61-year-old woman identified as Myra Plekam was pulled out from the debris alive.

Deputy Fire Chief Robert Coyne told local media outlets early Thursday morning that Plekam was taken to a hospital where she was reported in critical condition. However, rescuers said she was conscious and talking to them at the time she was pulled out, despite being trapped over 12 hours.

At least thirteen others were also reported injured. Search-and-rescue crews are continuing their operations as there are still reports of missing people, and authorities believe they could be trapped under the rubble.

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

Will anyone be charged with an offense, e.g. negligence? It would be interesting to compare the legal outcomes of this event in a "first world" country with what happens here, e.g. Steel Beams Tumble From M R T A Building Site

I am reasonably sure there will be charges -- both legal charges and financial charges.

I am reasonably sure there will be charges -- both legal charges and financial charges.

They will be dusting down the prison cells for new occupants !

I just came across this on Yahoo.

Equipment operator to be charged in Pa. collapse

http://news.yahoo.com/equipment-operator-charged-pa-collapse-224153913.html

"A four-story building collapsed downtown Philadelphia, the state capital"

This is not the state capital of any place.

But it should be.

Harrisburg is a dump.

Philly is a jewel.

Home of the first firehouses started by Franklin, I believe.

Great city for universities, such as Penn.

Edited June 8, 201313 yr by OldChinaHam

It is unfortunate that the people who write these news stories these days no longer live in the state for which they write, and many times not even in the same country.

I am a long, long time resident of Philly, and attended university there.

If I lived anywhere near Philly, in the tri-state area, I would only pronounce Philly the capital if I were drunk or making a joke.

Something like this accident very rarely happens in Philly because there is rather admirable safety rules and regulations that are usually meticulously followed.

Philadelphia is a great city with a great culture.

Or at least it used to be when I was there before I came to Asia.

Not the nicest part of town.

But it used to be real nice 60 - 70 years ago when some of these buildings were erected.

"A four-story building collapsed downtown Philadelphia, the state capital"

This is not the state capital of any place.

But it should be.

Harrisburg is a dump.

Philly is a jewel.

Home of the first firehouses started by Franklin, I believe.

Great city for universities, such as Penn.

Well now. Of course you're right.

But it was the capital of the US during some important times including the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.

The first time I was fortunate to visit, I went straight to the Liberty Bell and walked around and stared at it for a good hour. Then of course I had to see the President's house site, and cross the street and see Independence Hall.

I like it.