Local authorities have confirmed the inspector who reviewed the Philadelphia building that collapsed earlier this month has committed suicide.
The mayor's office said the inspector, a 52-year-old male, who was identified by Philly.com as Ronald Wagenhoffer, was found fatally wounded in his car. The inspector surveyed the building on May 14 and was an employee of the Department of Licenses and Inspections, USA Today reported.
According to CBS News, the man sent his wife a text message before shooting himself in the upper body while sitting inside his parked truck. His wife then discovered his body Wednesday evening. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Philly.com reported Wagenhoffer shot himself in the chest at about 9 p.m. Wednesday and was sitting in his car in the 100 block of Shawmont Avenue. He was a 16-year veteran of the Department.
A medical examiner will make the final determination of death in the next coming days.
Last week, NBC Philadelphia reported that Center City resident, Stephen Field, called the City of Philadelphia's municipal hotline to share concerns about the unsafe demolition practices he observed at an abandoned building on 2134 Market Street. In the phone call he said the crew had no safety equipment on and was endangering passersby.
NBC Philadelphia also reported the construction company that was working on the building, Griffin & Campbell, did not have the proper permits for other buildings and work sites they were operating on, forcing city officials to issue a stop work order on a number of the company's construction sites.
The collapse killed six and buried 13 people in the rubble who were later pulled out by local police.
Since the collapse, the city has promised to enforce better safety practices in building demolitions, including stronger background checks for demolition contractors and more frequent inspections.
