SCAD Railing Report Still Not Done

An ultimatum from the city, one month after a SCAD student fell five stories from a dorm.  She's still at the hospital recovering.  Yet weeks after the accident, there is still no word about whether the railing that gave way was installed to city regulations.  The accident happened at the Turner House dorm March 23rd.  Inspectors hoped to finish their investigation within a few days.  Now Savannah leaders are giving SCAD a deadline - May 9th - to provide information they need to get those answers.  3 On Your Side Crime and Safety Reporter Kaitlyn Pratt explains.  

Plywood still blocks the space where a railing once was at the Turner House dorm. 

The bars -- breaking loose  -- while witnesses say Meagan Petry was leaning against them.

After the accident, SCAD posted safety signs - warning students to stay away.  And inspectors started their investigation.  "The railing was probably checked at the time that the building was designed and constructed, but we thought it would be a good idea and double check that and make sure the manufacturer said that railing was code compliant," explains City Engineer Pete Shonka.

To do that, engineers need specific details about the railing.

"Showing what the railing is ... what the performance of the railing should be," says Shonka.  But city engineer Pete Shonka still doesn't have them.  He put the request on paper this week.  The letter reads,  "The city made the request for the railing specifications the day the incident occurred and has done so many times since.  You (SCAD) have assured us that this information would be forthcoming. We are now making this request in writing."

NEWS 3 spoke with SCAD leaders, who say they ARE working with the city.  They say they've asked for those specs from the manufacturer several times since the incident.  And as soon as they get them, the city will.  

Only then can engineers test the railing system - to make sure it was made, and installed to code.  "People tend to depend on railings and maybe depend on them too much.  They lean against them, sit on them,  that kind of thing.  So it's something you really want to check and doing everything it should do," Shonka adds.

After the failure, SCAD put reinforcements on the railings as a precaution.

The city also wants those alterations to be tested.           

Bruce Chong, SCAD's Dean of Communications - tells NEWS 3 they'll be happy to do so - and ensure they are code-compliant.  Meagan Petry is still at Memorial University Medical Center in fair condition.