Demolition resumes on Metcalfe Avenue building after upper floor collapse

(TC Media photo - Leslie Schachter)

The collapse of the upper storey on the demolition site of the former Vanguard school caused quite the commotion last week.

Demolition of the former Vanguard High School resumed Wednesday after the Canada Day holiday under the supervision of a workplace safety board (CSST) engineer following last weeks premature collapse of the upper storey of the Metcalfe Avenue building.

Both Metcalfe and Hillside avenues will be closed to traffic as on-site crew now demolishes the south side of the building.

According to Westmounts departing director general Duncan Campbell, the site is secure after a beam on the building's top floor gave in on June 25.

After closing the street off to circulation to prevent any further damage, it was deemed safe to resume the demolition. According to Campbell, the CSST and the fire department said there was no risk in letting the workers come back on site after analyzing the scene.

The CSST inspector was on-site just before the upper floor caved in. The inspector, said Marie-France Vermette of the CSST, had stopped demolition crews just before the collapse from working without the proper engineer-issued certificate. According to Vermette, the demolition of the top floor wasnt being executed in accordance to the regular "roof to ground" method and therefore a certificate was needed.

Real estate developer Btimo, in partnership with the Fond de Solidarit (FTQ), began transforming the former high school into a six-storey building, which will house 53 condos, lofts and townhouses to match the underground park spaces, two weeks ago.

Dust a concern?

Though a cloud of dust hovered over the work site following the collapse, Campbell assured the air was void of chemicals.

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Demolition resumes on Metcalfe Avenue building after upper floor collapse