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The dismantling of a section of the Canada Malting plant in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough has been put on hold.
The work began earlier this week.
The pause on the demolition work comes after “a portion of the floors in the nine-storey building had collapsed” leaving a facade wall without lateral support, according to the developer Développement La Malterie S.E.C.
In a statement to CBC News, the developer said it had learned of the incident on Wednesday, from the company in charge of the demolition work.
“Safety measures were in place and, fortunately, no one was injured,” the statement reads.
“Work was immediately halted, and additional safety measures were implemented.”
The decision to dismantle a portion of the site was made following a recent engineering report highlighting risks of collapse.
Released earlier this month, the report found the structure represented an “imminent danger” to public safety.
One of the biggest risks was deemed to be a brick facade wall that engineers warned was “hanging by a thread” after having detached from the roof, prompting concerns it could collapse onto St-Ambroise Street, potentially injuring pedestrians and damaging parked vehicles.
Développement La Malterie S.E.C. says it is working with the city to reassess current work methods “to ensure work can continue safely.”
WATCH | Building’s decay a common fate for historic landmark, says group:
Part of the Canada Malting plant is coming down. Some worry about what’s going to be saved
The landmark in Montreal’s Sud-Ouest borough will soon be partially dismantled after engineers found it is at risk of collapsing. One organization says the plant’s decay reflects a common fate for historical buildings citywide.
The company says it has also ramped up security at the site and is urging residents to keep their distance from the established safety perimeter.
It says the work will only resume after the borough gives the authorization based on experts’ recommendations.
Work to start up again on Monday
In an email to CBC, borough spokesperson Anyck Paradis a spokesperson said the work would start up again on Monday.
Paradis, however, warned of possible interruptions to allow for any necessary evaluations and adjustments.
She said the owner of the building is responsible for communications with residents but the borough ensures the area is secure.
“Our inspectors go on site, and we regularly meet with the owner of the Canada Malting,” Paradis said.
Initially, the work was expected to take five days, followed by three days to remove heavy equipment.