Astoria Red Lion deck collapse

[cessna98j]

http://www.dailyastorian.com/main.a...&ArticleID=65434&SectionID=2&SubSectionID=398

Not much detail in the news article, but at least there were no reported injuries. It's hard to tell from the picture but it appears the lower deck was timber construction.

This hotel is located right on the Pacific coast. While it is conjecture at this point, I would think corrosion from the seaside environment played some kind of role (lack of maintenance).

I know I have personally seen multiple timber decks and balconies in seaside communities where the joist hangers are severely deteriorated due to corrosion - and the owner has no clue that their deck is potentially unsafe. Most of these weren't right on the water either.

 

[msquared48]

Most of the decks in the Pacific Northwest fail from improper venting leading to rot, but, as the deck appears to be a concrete slab, the previous assessment is more than likely the case.

Mike McCann
MMC Engineering

 

[hokie66]

Looks like to me there is a beam (of some material) at the edge, with decking (of some material) spanning onto the beam. The whole beam is gone, so either the beam connections failed, the beam failed, or the deck came loose from the building, kicking out the beam. I agree with cessna, probably corrosion caused.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Slightly more detail here:

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/loca...ds-six-into-water/LZEQ9J6gO0C1z9R5sIXFeA.cspx

Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA