Welland condo collapses for the second time in over a week

For the second time in just over a week, part of a huge condominium that’s under construction in Welland caved in, rattling the neighbourhood around it and people in the city.

READ MORE: Welland luxury condo project partially collapses Saturday night

The Upper Vista Condo development along the Old Welland Canal collapsed Sunday morning. People in the area heard the bangs as two parts of the building caved in.

The last collapse happened last weekend and was caught on a home security video. There is no information on what caused the first collapse.

The City of Welland and the ministry of labour have shut down the site while they investigate. A representative of the developer says this kind of new collapse is something that can be expected. Parts of the structure are giving way under the strain of the earlier damage.

Joyce Marocco of Evertrust Developer says, “the understanding I have is that some of the steel structure that was bowed a little bit in the last damage that happened is now feeling more of that pressure and that pressure is pushing more on the steel that has now given way.”

Marocco says there could be more of these collapses unless the developer can get onto the site to reinforce the structure. They have to wait for a report from the ministry of labour, and there’s no indication when that will be finished.

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The $55M development is planned as a canal-front condo with more than 200 units ready next year, and it’s sold out.

The developer says it’s contacting buyers to let them know what’s going on, although they can’t say how much the project will be delayed.