Engineer Blames Shoddy Techniques in New York City Collapse

An engineer says shoddy materials and construction techniques caused a fatal collapse at a building site in Brooklyn last week.

Steve Schneider tells The Daily News that the contractor was using lighter gauge steel than required for the floor decking at the five-story condominium project. He also says crews had secured joists with nails and clamps instead of welding them or fastening them with special screws.

Schneider was responsible for checking the site’s safety before workers started pouring concrete, but he says the contractor never notified him that the workers were ready to begin. He says he would not have approved concrete pouring if he had known.

One worker was killed and four injured in the collapse on Tuesday.