Union Confirms Three Deaths in Philly Garage Collapse; City Launches Probe

PHILADELPHIA, PA – April 15, 2026 – One week after a catastrophic structural failure at a construction site in Grey's Ferry, Ironworkers Local Union 401 has officially confirmed the deaths of three of its members. The men, identified as Stepan Shevchuk, Matthew Kane, and Mark Scott Jr., lost their lives when a seven-story parking garage being built for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) partially collapsed on April 8.

The announcement from the union brings a somber conclusion to days of painstaking recovery efforts and marks the beginning of a complex, multi-agency investigation into the cause of the tragedy. As the city mourns, questions are intensifying around construction safety protocols, regulatory oversight, and the accountability of the contractors involved in the project.

A Brotherhood in Mourning

In a statement filled with sorrow, Local 401 Business Manager Kevin Boyle paid tribute to the fallen men, emphasizing the deep bonds within the ironworking community. "Stepan, Matthew, and Mark were not only skilled ironworkers, but brothers, friends, and proud members of our Local 401 family," Boyle stated. "This tragedy is deeply felt across our union, the Philadelphia Building Trades, and the entire organized labor community. Their loss leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew and worked alongside them."

The union extended its deepest condolences to the families and pledged its unwavering support during this difficult time, while also making a firm request for their privacy. In a sign of city-wide mourning, Mayor Cherelle Parker ordered all city flags to be flown at half-staff until April 17 in honor of the three workers.

This profound sense of loss was echoed by those who knew the men. A relative of Matthew Kane remembered him as a man who "loved what he did for work" and was a "good father, a good person." The sentiment reflects the personal devastation behind the headlines, a story of families shattered by a workplace disaster.

The Day the Floors Fell

The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday, April 8, at the construction site on the 3000 block of Grays Ferry Avenue. According to initial reports from city officials, a precast concrete roof segment failed during installation, setting off a horrific chain reaction. Doorbell camera footage from a nearby residence captured the structure's floors pancaking downwards in a "progressive collapse" that cascaded through all seven levels.

First responders faced a perilous and unstable scene. One worker, later identified as Stepan Shevchuk, was rescued from the debris but was pronounced dead at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Two other workers, Kane and Scott Jr., were unaccounted for. The instability of the remaining structure quickly forced emergency crews to transition from a rescue to a recovery operation.

After days of careful work, which included the controlled demolition of parts of the compromised garage to ensure the safety of recovery teams, the bodies of Kane and Scott Jr. were finally recovered in the early hours of Monday, April 13. Two other workers were also injured in the collapse but were treated at a local hospital and subsequently released.

A Multi-Pronged Investigation Begins

In the wake of the collapse, a full-scale investigation has been launched to determine the cause and identify any potential failures in safety or oversight. Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order directing the City Solicitor and Law Department to conduct a "thorough, independent and transparent investigation," with a public report expected within 180 days.

Multiple agencies are involved, each examining a different facet of the disaster:

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is leading the federal investigation into workplace safety compliance, a process that could take six months or more to complete.
• The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) has initiated its own probe and will conduct a full audit of all contractors and subcontractors associated with the project.

Investigators are scrutinizing the entire chain of events, from the design and fabrication of the concrete components to their installation and the on-site supervision. The general contractor for the project is HSC Builders and Construction Managers, who stated they have "never experienced a collapse or failure in the company's history." The subcontractor responsible for the precast concrete installation was identified as Precast Services Inc.

Scrutiny Falls on Safety and Oversight

The investigation is already zeroing in on critical questions about Philadelphia's construction oversight. While city officials initially stated all necessary permits were in order, Mayor Parker later clarified a crucial detail: the installation of precast concrete does not fall under standard L&I inspections. Instead, it requires "special inspections" conducted by a third-party firm. In this case, that responsibility was assigned to Valerie Moody of GAI Construction Monitoring Services.

This regulatory nuance has become a central point of concern, raising questions about whether direct city oversight is sufficient for such critical structural work. Adding to these concerns are reports that Precast Services Inc., the subcontractor handling the specialized installation, does not appear in the city's public database of licensed contractors.

This tragedy has evoked painful memories of Philadelphia's last major construction disaster: the 2013 Salvation Army building collapse on Market Street, where a botched demolition killed seven people. That incident spurred significant reforms, including mandatory OSHA safety training for workers and supervisors on most construction sites. However, the Grey's Ferry collapse suggests that even with these reforms, dangerous gaps in the system may persist, particularly concerning specialized subcontractors and the inspection process for complex engineering tasks.

Solidarity Amid the Rubble

As investigators sift through the physical and regulatory debris, the organized labor community has rallied to support its own. Iron Workers Local 401 has committed to providing "unwavering support, respect, and care" for the families of the fallen. This support is backed by established union mechanisms, which can include substantial death benefits for on-the-job accidents, as well as survivor benefits from pension funds, designed to provide a financial safety net in the face of tragedy.

In its statement, Local 401 also highlighted the broad coalition of support that emerged, extending gratitude to Mayor Parker's team, the Philadelphia Building Trades Council, and even Bo Kushner of Precast Services Inc. for their assistance. Special thanks were given to the Philadelphia Fire Department, particularly Squad #47 and the Special Operations Command, whose members worked tirelessly at the scene. "The care and determination shown on scene made it clear that they were working as if they were recovering one of their own, and that compassion will never be forgotten," the union's statement read.

This powerful display of community and solidarity stands in stark contrast to the destruction. In memory of its lost members, the union has rededicated itself to its core principles. As Kevin Boyle concluded, "We will honor Stepan, Matthew, and Mark not only in remembrance, but through our continued commitment to safety, solidarity, and looking out for one another every day."