Lessons learned from the 1981 Hyatt skywalk collapse

[@StephenMattison66]

Good piece, ty. One look at the offset 2 rod connection set up is really all it takes to see the impending doom. Insane that this rod change was approved by multiple people. Smart people, too politically frightened to speak up and say "NO" is the root & scary part.

[@shoechew]

I don't remember this because I was a little kid at the time but I am glad that I learned about it today.

[@sonofmyheart]

Yes. Thanks for learning of this. We need you, our future, to help make things better, prevent repeat of past mistakes.

[@sonofmyheart]

I worked in Mutual Benefit Life building directly across street, 5th floor, from where this happened. Such a shock to leave work Friday, watch this on news, then return work Monday, seeing the heartache. If I remember right Sally Firestone, worked for IBM, same building. Such courage and inspiring strength she showed. I heard IBM adapted her work environment so she was able to continue working too.

[@danhamjam]

This is like Grenfell Tower. So many mistakes, no one to blame, no one willing take responsibility.

[@YouGotHousesWeGotMahomes]

I remember the names of the deceased scrolling on the screen of our 19" Sony picture TV and the tears rolling quietly down the face of my mom.

[@adamwest3637]

The top walkway was supporting the weight of two walkways instead of just one

[@rfcdgaf]

Not only that, even if it was built to the original spec, of just one walkway. It wouldn't have been able to support JUST that!!

[@keilafleischbein59]

Imagine blaming engineers for something called a "skywalk." The premise is a stupid, impractical, expensive novelty. The engineers are not at fault. The investors and pedestrians must assume responsibility for even imagining stepping foot upon it. It's a dumb idea doomed to fail with zero application.

[@Lethgar_Smith]

That's a weak argument. If people thought that way, no one would ever get into an airplane or ascend a tall building or drive over a bridge. Not without first getting an engineering degree and making a thorough inspection of the structure before determining is it is safe to use.

[@keilafleischbein59]

@@Lethgar_Smith those all have practical applications. This is a stupid luxury for the obscene rich.

[@Lethgar_Smith]

I find it odd that you are criticizing the "intent" of the designers as the flaw that caused this collapse rather than an error in calculation and judgement about the support of the structure itself. See the Skyways in the Peachtree Center district of Atlanta. There is no risk of them failing because they were designed properly. Your argument is the exact same argument that was employed in the early 1900s. "If Man were meant to fly he would have been born with wings!" Around that same time an editorial was published declaring that mankind had now reached its pinnacle of human achievement and that there were no more great inventions to come or anymore discoveries of note to be made. Humanity can now rest on its laurels. Do you believe that technology should have stopped with the steam engine and the telegraph and progressed no further?

[@keilafleischbein59]

@@Lethgar_Smith I think you ought to read Jurassic Park. You're too concerned with "can we do this" and not "should we do this"

[@Lethgar_Smith]

@@keilafleischbein59 I'd rather talk about your insistence that a pedestrian "skybridge", as a concept, is an example of hubris and excess gone awry only because of who was hurt and killed by its collapse. A collapse caused by a change to the original design made by an engineer, not by the people who were crushed by it. You need to defend your original comment, not drag us off into discussions of science fiction novels.