The Associated Press

PORT CLINTON – A terrace that collapsed at a Lake Erie island tourist spot had not been inspected by the county or state because officials say such examinations are not required.

Wednesday, July 05, 2000

PORT CLINTON – A terrace that collapsed at a Lake Erie island tourist spot had not been inspected by the county or state because officials say such examinations are not required.

Ottawa County building inspectors could look into the Lonz Winery structure only if they had reason to believe it was dangerous or if there were complaints, county Prosecutor Mark Mulligan said Monday.

”We can’t go and inspect unless we have a reason,” he said.

The county’s building inspection department, which did not inspect any commercial buildings before 1983, has no records on the winery, Mulligan said.

One man was killed and at least 75 people were injured when the concrete terrace crumbled Saturday, dropping revelers 20 feet into an old wine cellar.

The terrace was built in 1950, according to tax records, at the old winery’s century-old main building, a fortresslike mansion on the National Register of Historic Places. Authorities initially thought the terrace had been built in 1964.

County building inspectors plan to examine the entire structure this week.

The state would not have inspected the structure unless it had undergone a major renovation or its use had changed, said Bill Teets, spokesman for the Ohio Department of Commerce.

The county building department said the occupancy limit for the terrace wasn’t known. Put-in-Bay police Chief Jim Lang has said about 100 people were on the structure when it collapsed.

Investigators working in rain Monday removed from the island all of the chunks of concrete and pieces of steel supports that are to be examined, said Bob Bratton, a deputy chief with the county sheriff’s department.

Engineers who have examined the wreckage believe the collapse was triggered by a structural problem and not an overload of people. However, authorities have not said whether the structure might have been faulty when built or had deteriorated.

The sheriff’s office, which is leading the investigation, has talked with about 60 survivors of the collapse but did not immediately release their statements.

”We’re trying find what people saw and felt,” Bratton said. ”Did the terrace move east? Did it move west?”

The State Highway Patrol is using a computer to create a model of the terrace that may give investigators some clues.

A statement from the winery owners said they were cooperating with investigators and expressed sympathy for the family of Mark Reighard, 29, of Columbus, who died in the collapse.

”On behalf of all the employees of Mantey, Mon Ami and Lonz Wineries, our hearts go out to everyone affected by this unfortunate accident which has caused so much sadness for so many,” said Bob Manchick, vice chairman.

Meanwhile, there are concerns that a wall holding up part of the terrace that did not collapse is unstable. Authorties closed a road on the island below the wall.