Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, June 17, 1993                   TAG: 9306170299
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BUILDING OWNER NOT CHARGED IN WALL'S COLLAPSE

There is no evidence that the owner, Wayne Ayers, knew the vacant building near the intersection of First Street and Gilmer Avenue in Roanoke was unsafe, Building Commissioner Ron Miller said Wednesday.

Ralph Claytor, 68, was treated at Roanoke Memorial Hospital after he was struck by falling bricks and debris from the wall. Claytor was attempting to flee his car, which was parked next to the building.

State and city building codes require the owners of vacant buildings to keep them safe and secure. Owners can be fined up to $2,000 for failing to keep their property safe, Miller said.

Miller believes the roof of the collapsed building might have been weakened by the June 4 thunderstorm with winds up to 70 mph.

"Before then, we had not seen anything that indicated it was going to collapse," Miller said.

Demolition of the building began Wednesday.

City building inspectors periodically check the commercial buildings on First Street (Henry Street) and nearby areas in the Gainsboro neighborhood to see if they are stable, Miller said.

For example, the old Dumas Hotel on First Street was demolished last year after inspectors determined that it was in danger of collapsing.

The city requires the owners of vacant commercial buildings to provide a structural engineer's report on them if they appear to be in danger of falling.