Empathy Shown by an Atlantic City Resident for Building Collapse Victims

Warren L. Webb Jr. was a survivor of the Tropicana parking structure collapse in Atlantic City, Georgia, on October 30th, 2003. In light of the recent building collapse in Philadelphia, he shared his thoughts and feelings about the victims who endured this tragic incident.

"I can imagine what they're going through and how they feel. The ones that are still alive, as well as the ones that are lost – their families are probably really hurting," Webb expressed.

During the collapse of the Tropicana parking structure in Atlantic City, Webb was working on the tenth floor, pouring concrete. He sustained multiple injuries, including a concussion and a leg puncture when he plummeted through the floors.

"The whole floor collapsed like a domino effect, and by the time it came to me, there wasn't a floor. I just felt… it felt like floating in the air," Webb vividly recalled.

Response to the Threat of Building Collapses

Atlantic City's Fire Chief, Dennis Brooks, was among the first responders to the Tropicana collapse. He recounted hearing a tremendous explosion and feeling the ground shake. Chief Brooks emphasized that specialized units have been established in various cities across the country to respond specifically to building collapses, especially following the events of September 11th.

In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, grants have facilitated the creation of response units and training for workers in numerous high-rise buildings throughout many cities. However, for Atlantic City residents like Warren Webb Jr., the emotional impact remains profound:

"Some of the guys I know – friends of mine - didn't make it out of there. You never forget. I still have scars. It's just like time heals all wounds, but you still have the scars on you. It makes you remember."

While the Tropicana parking structure collapse occurred almost a decade ago, city and state officials assert that they are now better prepared, trained, and equipped to manage building collapses. Nevertheless, the hope is that such skills will never need to be put to the test.

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