EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is no longer being updated as of Friday, April 10 at 4 p.m. For the latest, click here.
Demolition is expected to take place on Friday of a parking garage that partially collapsed earlier this week in Philadelphia’s Gray Ferry neighborhood.
The collapse killed one person, and while two others are missing, officials said they are presumed dead.
In an update on Thursday night, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said crews sent in four highly trained dogs who found no signs of life.
Now efforts are switching from rescue to recovery, officials said.
The mayor also said that they plan to demolish the parking garage at some point on Friday with city leaders explaining that the structure is still unstable.
Parker, in a statement, shared that she has directed that all flags across Philadelphia be lowered to half-staff in honor of the workers on Friday. The statement read in part:
“Today, I am directing that all flags across Philadelphia be lowered to half-staff in honor of the Ironworkers we have lost in the South Philadelphia garage collapse. One life has been taken from us. Two others are lost and presumed deceased. We are praying for them.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also shared a statement:
“Lori and I are praying for the families of the two Local 401 Ironworkers who are now presumed dead after the parking garage collapse in Philadelphia.
We’re grateful for Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s leadership through this tragic incident and join her in thanking the responders who’ve spent over 36 hours engaged in rescue and recovery efforts. PA Emergency Management Agency Director Randy Padfield has been on site assisting the City’s response, and my Administration will continue to provide all necessary resources.
Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the Philadelphia Building Trades, and the Ironworkers Local 401 brothers and sisters as they grieve three of their own.
I’ve ordered flags on all Commonwealth grounds in Philadelphia to fly at half staff in honor of their memories — may they be a blessing.”
Philadelphia Police First Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said that the area will remain secured by officers and residents are urged to stay away from the area. The shopping center nearby and the surrounding roads are still closed.
City officials have provided more details regarding the collapse, operations and traffic updates here.
CHOP parking garage collapse
The collapse happened near the intersection of 30th Street and Grays Ferry Avenue in Philadelphia on Wednesday, April 8 at 2:17 p.m. and killed at least one other person and injured two others, officials have said.
Officials said the collapse occurred after a concrete segment failed while it was being installed.
Also, on Thursday, NBC10 obtained video of the moment the building collapsed on Wednesday.
The parking garage is part of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s plan to expand employee parking, which has sparked controversy.
The garage’s construction has been a point of contention in the Grays Ferry community.
Back in February, local residents protested the construction of the garage, claiming it would increase traffic congestion, harm the environment and affect public health.
However, after the collapse on Wednesday, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said the building had all the needed inspections and the project had all eight required permits for construction and they were all up to date.
In fact, NBC10’s Investigators took a look at HSC Builders & Construction Managers, the company tasked with this construction project, and did not find any major lawsuits or violations.
HSC Builders & Construction Managers released the following statement:
“HSC Builders and Construction Managers is devastated by the stair tower collapse at the CHOP project on April 8, 2026. We express our deepest sympathies for the injured and deceased workers and their families. We make significant efforts each and every day to ensure safe and secure jobsites for our workers, subcontractors and the public in general. We have never experienced a collapse or failure in the company’s history. Our immediate mission is to do whatever we can to aid the deceased workers and their families. We acknowledge and greatly appreciate the leadership and extraordinary efforts of Mayor Parker, the team at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia and Authorities having jurisdiction. We continue to gather all relevant information to better understand what caused the failure. We will provide updates as additional information becomes available.”
Stores near the scene of a parking garage collapse in Philadelphia’s Grays Ferry community were closed on Thursday and, as detailed by NBC10’s Lili Zheng, a group of community members held a vigil for those hurt or killed in the collapse.
A group of local residents that are opposed to the project held a vigil at the site on Thursday morning in honor of the workers who were killed or injured in the collapse.
Early Thursday, PAWS Philly, who have a shelter/clinic next to the parking garage said that no animals were harmed in the collapse.
But, the shelter was closed on Thursday and would remain closed until it is deemed safe to re-open.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.