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Report determines factors behind Firefighter's death

bruce britt
Columbia Fire Department

UPDATED at 9:20 a.m. CT on Feb. 5, 2015 with a statement by Chief Frazier.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health released a report on Wednesday of its investigation into Columbia firefighter Lt. Bruce Britt’s death and the walkway collapse at University Village last year.

The report determined the main factors in Britt’s death were the deterioration of the building and the failure of the university to notify the fire department of the building’s condition.

At the time of the collapse, MU did not have an inspection program to address structural hazards of Residential Life buildings. The university first looked into replacing University Village in 2008 after two firms determined the complex to be a public safety hazard. Even though the university decided the building needed to be torn down, the Columbia Fire Department was not notified.

The structural engineering firm hired by NIOSH determined the failure of the concrete on the outer edge of the walkway caused the collapse. Britt was unaware of the potential danger of the situation because the deterioration of the walkway was not visible.

NIOSH recommended that the Columbia Fire Department and MU develop pre-incident plans and share information that might help public safety personnel in any emergency situation to prevent similar accidents in the future. The report also called for emergency responders to “slow down and re-assess the situation,” especially when working in elevated locations.

Battalion Chief Brad Frazier said the department is still reviewing the report.

“We are looking closely at the contributing factors to this event and evaluating those comments and then we’ll go from there.”

Since Britt’s death last year, the university closed University Village and hired Trabue, Hansen & Hinshaw, Inc. to inspect the structural safety of all 376 buildings on the Columbia campus. The company identified 18 buildings with “immediate concerns” that were addressed earlier this year. The University Village property is now open for MU student parking.

Last March, Britt’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the UM System Board of Curators.

Due to the pending lawsuit, University officials declined to comment.