DMN Report: Cowboys Didn't Have Roof Work Inspected

((HT: DMN/Formby, Carlton, Egerton))

The Dallas Cowboys applied last year for a building permit to replace the high-tension fabric roof on the indoor practice facility that collapsed Saturday and injured 12 people ((pictured, thanks Ron Jenkins/Star-Telegram)). But the team never had city officials inspect any completed work, which is required by Irving's building code.

In city documents released Monday, the team is listed as the general contractor for the reroofing project that was estimated to cost $600,000. Irving does not issue a building permit unless the general contractor is registered with the city. The Cowboys registered as a general contractor on the same day they requested a permit for the roof work.

City officials were aware that work began on the roof last year but never received word from the team that it was complete.

Team officials declined to answer questions about the work Monday.

It was unclear Monday what level of rains or winds the building was built to withstand. The roles that weather and the structure's design or construction played in the collapse may not be known for months.

OSHA investigators will interview witnesses, survey the site and "get as much information as we can" to determine what specifically brought the building down.

No findings will be made public until OSHA completes its investigation, which could take up to six months.

"Every case is different," said OSHA spokeswoman Elizabeth Todd.

The site will not be cleared until agency officials have completed their investigation, Todd said.

Gary Miller, the city's planning and inspections director, said the city probably will not pursue a building code violation citation. He said that if the building were still standing, the city's approach would have first been to issue a warning notice.

But he said city officials will closely watch the results of any investigations.

"We would rely on any reports that come out of this investigation just to become more intelligent out of what happened," Miller said.

Here are the 911 calls from the complex ((Thanks, DMN-MacMahon- who made Call #1))
Call 1
Call 2
Call 3
Statement from Summit Structures