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Meltdown in Florida: Is Quebec safe?

Meltdown in Florida: Is Quebec safe?

The photos of Surfside, Florida, which have been around the world, are chilling.

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Montreal has dozens of skyscrapers and a large number of multi-storey apartment buildings.

Without experiencing similar dramas to Surfside’s, Quebec City has nonetheless been the scene of a few accidents involving tall structures over the years.

In May 2020, a huge concrete block crashed after separating from 17e Floor of an office building.

In July 2009, a woman faced a tragic end in a downtown area due to the fall of a concrete block while eating dinner in a restaurant.

The rules must be tightened

In Quebec, it is necessary to inspect and maintain facades five or more stories above ground under the Building Chapter of the Safety Act. The owner must obtain a facade inspection report every five years.

Claude Gortin, engineer and general manager of ProspecPlus, explained in an interview with VAT news ضريبة.

The latter reminds us that even with us, we will never be safe from structural failure.

Inspection is still necessary to avoid the worst.

“When we examine a parking lot, we will really be able to see the parapets of the building, the structure itself, the foundations, the structural elements like the beams, [les] “Columns, foundation walls, etc.,” says Claude Gourtin.

“Of course, when you inspect the facades, this is the building envelope, not necessarily the structure. It will not give us a complete diagnosis of the structural condition of the building.”

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The architect believes that there must be an obligation to examine the structural elements of an old building in some way.

“I think that’s the least of it,” Claude Gertin declared.