Ceiling collapse that killed Roanoke County woman caused by wet materials

[mark handler]

Ceiling collapse that killed Roanoke County woman caused by wet materials

http://www.roanoke.com/news/local/roanoke_county/ceiling-collapse-that-killed-roanoke-county-woman-caused-by-wet/article_41ea896d-3827-550b-9289-86b1096b7bf2.html

By Amy Friedenberger amy.friedenberger@roanoke.com 981-3356

A ceiling collapse that killed a Roanoke County woman on Friday was apparently caused by wet materials that the ceiling could not support, building inspectors found.

Roanoke County spokeswoman Amy Whittaker said building inspectors observed that drywall and insulation from the ceiling appeared to be wet, which may have been the result of rain earlier last week and a leak in the roof. The weight from the wet materials seemed to be too great, and the ceiling in the 6800 block of Sugar Rum Ridge Road in southwest Roanoke County collapsed, Whittaker said.

Helen Arthur Craig, 68, was critically injured by the falling debris and died at the scene, Whittaker said. The ceiling also fell on the woman’s husband at about 4 p.m., but he was able to crawl out and get help. He did not require hospitalization.

The rest of the structure appears to be unaffected, Whittaker said.

 

[ICE]

http://ktla.com/2014/10/21/water-from-sheared-fire-hydrant-causes-gas-station-roof-collapse-in-ontario/

 

[rktect 1]

Last year I was called to a home to check for damage due to the drywall falling off the ceiling joists. I thought it would be a tiny section. Turns out that one section ripped pretty much all the drywall off the ceiling in the living/family room and dining room. No wet materials were found but I noticed that the nail spacing was about 24" o.c. for the truss and 16" on center along the bottom cord. Home was about 40 years old. Over time the ceiling just seems to have pulled away and finally one day the Mrs. hears this loud crash and finds her husband crawling out from under the debris. He was on the couch watching TV. No injuries, just shock.

Check the nailing pattern folks.

 

[steveray]

ICE...I thought that only happened in the movies?