PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The city's top prosecutor announced a grand jury was being convened to investigate a building collapse that killed six people and injured 13 others, including a woman who on Monday described hearing the sound of falling bricks moments before the walls came crashing down around her.
District Attorney Seth Williams said the scope and depth of the grand jury process will help prosecutors, the city and others to "completely and appropriately investigate" what happened when a downtown building under demolition collapsed onto a neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store, killing two employees and four customers.
"I know Philadelphians demand action. I heard their voices loud and clear," Williams said at Monday's news conference. "We want Philadelphians to be patient as we gather all the evidence."
Meanwhile, police detectives on Monday visited the north Philadelphia home of general contractor Griffin Campbell, who had been hired to demolish the four-story building that collapsed. A handful of investigators emerged from the home about 45 minutes later Monday evening, carrying a box. Police and prosecutors earlier declined to comment on reports of a search of the home.
The voicemail on Campbell's cellphone has been full for days. A woman who answered the phone at Campbell's home said his lawyer had advised him not to comment.
At least six survivors have filed lawsuits against the contractor and the building's owner. One of them, Felicia Hill, said Monday that she heard bricks falling and looked at another co-worker just moments before the ceiling collapsed with the weight of bricks and debris.
"And then the wall came down, and I didn't see her anymore," Hill said of Kimberly Finnegan, who was killed on her first day of work at the thrift store.
After the collapse, Hill heard another co-worker calling, "Somebody, help me, please. Somebody help."
Attorney Robert Mongeluzzi, representing Hill and five other survivors, said Hill is emotionally scarred but lucky.
"There were six people that weren't so lucky," he added.
Police allege a heavy-equipment operator, Sean Benschop, was high on marijuana when the collapse happened Wednesday. His attorney said it was an accident and his client is not responsible.
Benschop surrendered Saturday to face six counts of involuntary manslaughter, 13 counts of reckless endangerment and one count of risking a catastrophe. He is the only person charged in the collapse and is being held without bail pending a hearing June 26.
Williams said the grand jury likely will "investigate the myriad municipal agencies and departments, and policies and protocols, surrounding the collapse."
Also Monday, the City Council announced the formation of a special committee to conduct a broad review of procedures and regulations regarding licenses and permits, construction and demolition, the certification of workers, building maintenance and other issues.
Unsafe construction work is a common issue in Philadelphia, and "unfortunately, it took such a tragic event for us to finally do something about it," Council President Darrell L. Clarke said.
Councilman Jim Kenney, who is the chair of the labor and civil service committee, said safety standards are sometimes not met for the sake of costs.
"There is an underground economy that's grown up as a result of the issue relative to the cost of construction," Kenney said. "The cost of the construction should not trump safety."
Kenney also said there needs to be better coordination between the building inspectors and the revenue department, which could help "track down these unscrupulous and unlicensed and non-tax-paying entities."
Since the collapse, officials have begun inspecting hundreds of demolition sites citywide. Mayor Michael Nutter said Friday that the city was preparing to implement sweeping changes in its regulations of building demolition.