Mexico school collapse sparks concerns over building code

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The school collapse this week that killed at least 19 children during an earthquake has prompted many Mexicans to question whether building codes developed after a devastating 1985 temblor are too easily flouted.

Stringent laws enacted after a massive earthquake killed thousands three decades ago minimized the damage this week across the metropolis of 20 million people, even if experts say it is nearly impossible to design structures to withstand any quake.

At least 293 people died in Tuesday's quake, measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, but the toll could have been far worse.

Volunteers and rescue workers search for children trapped inside at the collapsed Enrique Rebsamen school in Mexico City on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2017. /AP Photo

Still, the collapse of some structures built under the new codes, including the Enrique Rebsamen school that became a symbol of this week's tragedy, has sparked concerns over implementation of the rules.

"There are still gaps that mean new buildings don't always fully comply," said Roberto Meli Piralla, a structural engineer and expert on seismic preparedness at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

It is too early to know if code violations, neglect or corruption were factors in the collapse of the school or about 50 other buildings in Mexico City.

Reuters Photo

Yet engineers said that challenges remain in enforcing the codes uniformly and ensuring that builders, inspectors and property owners follow approved plans. Inspectors can be criminally liable if a building they OK proves structurally unsound.

The mayor of the district where the school is located said her office has been unable to find documentation to assess its construction and structural history. She blamed problems, including corruption, on a predecessor administration.

"When we came into office, there were many files missing," said Claudia Sheinbaum, the mayor of the Tlalpan district. She said she had no proof that corruption had anything to do with the collapse.

One suggestion, according to another engineer involved in the discussions, was to have an independent, third-party review of designs before inspectors sign off on them.

A soldier drives an excavator on a street as rescue teams search for students at the Enrique Rebsamen school after an earthquake in Mexico City on September 22, 2017. /Reuters Photo

Tuesday's temblor generated a different frequency of shockwave from the 1985 quake and toppled mid-sized buildings of roughly six to eight stories, compared with towers of about 12 to 15 floors in 1985.

"It's not possible to say what problems could have been foreseen," said Antonio Gallardo, a member of the board of architects in Mexico City, a council that upholds professional standards across the capital.

Most of the damage on Tuesday happened in central and southern districts where soils are less solid than in northern neighborhoods, and urban development, even after improvements in recent decades, is still patchwork.

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Source(s): Reuters