Formica Construction Lacked Demolition Permit at Fatal Car-Dealership Collapse

A mezzanine in the old Staten Island dealership collapsed Friday, killing one worker employed by the contractor whose permits expired in August

Silvie.com

The construction company tasked with demolishing the old Dana Ford Lincoln car dealership in Travis, N.Y., where a worker was killed Friday after the ceiling collapsed, did not have a permit to operate on the premises, Buildings Department records show.

Port Richmond-based Formica Construction had obtained seven permits related to construction at the West Service Road site since last August, but none are currently valid, records show. The most recent permit expired on Aug. 15.

Delfino Jesus Velazquez Mendizabal, 43, of West Brighton, was one of the four workers who were dismantling the dealership's facility before the mezzanine collapsed to the ground and left him trapped under the debris, officials said.

(more on fatal car-dealership collapse . . . )

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