November 26, 2007

Cherry Demolition continues work after Crowne Plaza implosion scare

HOUSTON, TX

Reports that a person may have been inside a building during implosion have been discredited and removal of material by the demolition company allowed to proceed.

Three days after Cherry Demolition and Dykon Explosive Demolition imploded the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Houston’s hospital district earlier this month, reports began to circulate that there may have been someone inside the structure. An amateur videographer photographed what looked to be a shadowy figure moving across window openings on the 8th floor of the 14-storey building. People watching from the nearby Texas Medical Center also reported seeing someone enter the building just before the implosion. Police and Cherry Demolition have examined both still photographs and video recorded by other cameras set up in the same area, but none showed the movement as the video in question, according to Leonard Cherry, president of the demolition firm. Cherry Demolition management reported that all the demolition workers were accounted for and told police that they had searched the building twice before the implosion that morning. On Wednesday, police began searching the rubble with cadaver dogs. The dogs drew attention to an area where a worker had suffered a cut to his leg in the weeks before while gutting the building, according to the demolition company. Once excavation of that area reached the third floor level, no remains had been found.

The police have discontinued their search and allowed Cherry crews to continue removing rubble, with the stipulation that they would contact the police department if they found anything suspicious.

Other explanations for the filmed movement are being explored, including reflections of the sunrise off of the building opposite the Crowne Plaza.

DCN News Services

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