CINCINNATI — A student claims he is suffering “life-altering” injuries after a balcony collapsed in an Ohio neighborhood last month.
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Andrew McGovern, a University of Cincinnati student, is suing Stetson Square Condominium Unit Owners Association, Eclipse Community Management, and property owners over the “severe and permanent injuries” he said he suffered when a balcony fell 20 feet, WCPO reported.
The collapse happened at an apartment complex on Stetson Street in Cincinnati, according to a previous News Center 7 report.
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McGovern alleges that the defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain, and repair the balcony, resulting in the collapse.
An investigation is ongoing; however, an inspector with the Department of Buildings and Inspections found that one of the deck’s main support beams had failed.
Immediate orders were issued by city officials requiring the property owner and the homeowners’ association to hire a structural engineer to examine all balconies in the complex, WCPO reported.
They are also required to secure and barricade all balcony doors to prevent use until the structural assessment is complete, as well as bring the sprinkler system back to functionality and compliance after it was damaged during the collapse.
The suit seeks financial compensation as well as punitive damages and court-ordered reforms to ensure proper safety protocols are put in place.
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