Engineers identify cause of supermarket canopy collapse

An technologist has concluded that a windstorm caused a canopy collapse successful August astatine an eastbound Las Vegas market store, according to Clark County records.

The beforehand of a mansard astatine La Bonita supermarket, 2500 E. Desert Inn Road, tumbled to the crushed astatine astir 6:20 a.m. connected Aug. 13. Four radical suffered insignificant injuries successful the collapse, which near a immense heap of wood and rubble successful the store parking batch adjacent Eastern Avenue.

Clark County instantly ordered the supermarket closed and required the property’s owners to prosecute an technologist to place the cause. The technologist besides was asked to measure the information of the remaining operation earlier La Bonita could reopen.

In a Sept. 30 missive to the county’s Building and Fire Prevention Department, technologist Bradley Severson of Kimley-Horn and Associates wrote connected behalf of Kimco Realty.

“On Aug. 13, 2021 a windstorm swept done Las Vegas and caused harm to the La Bonita’s market store. … The beforehand canopy was wholly ripped disconnected the beforehand of the gathering owed to tempest winds,” Severson wrote.

The missive does not elaborate connected wherefore the steadfast believes a windstorm was to blame.

Morgan Stessman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service successful Las Vegas, said measured maximum upwind gusts connected Aug. 13 did not transcend 25 mph successful the Las Vegas Valley. However, the time prior, maximum gusts successful the vale ranged from 35 to 45 mph, Stessman said.

Severson declined to remark erstwhile reached by telephone Wednesday. Kimco Realty, which, done an affiliate, manages the buying analyzable lodging La Bonita, besides declined to remark connected the origin of the collapse.

“We bash program to rebuild, and we are blessed to stock much astir timing erstwhile plans are solidified,” Kimco spokeswoman Jennifer Maisch wrote successful a substance connection Thursday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Clark County spokeswoman Stacey Welling said successful an email that the region did not analyse the origin of the collapse.

“In the lawsuit we question the effect of a submitted report, we tin petition a adjacent reappraisal from a advisor selected by the County,” Welling wrote.

She added that “the Building Department tin neither corroborate nor contradict the cause, yet takes nary objection to what was stated successful the letter.”

La Bonita General Manager Armando Martinez besides said immoderate windy days led up to the awning collapse.

“We privation to reopen the store,” Martinez said. “We privation to get backmost successful there. It is simply a engaged store for us, and we emotion the community.”

Contact Glenn Puit by email astatine gpuit@reviewjournal.com. Follow @GlennatRJ connected Twitter.