Criminal Charges to Be Filed in Building Collapse?


On its 5pm newscast on Friday evening, Fox 29 reported that police just executed a search warrant on the home of Sean Benschop, the excavator operator involved in the deadly building collapse at 22nd and Market. Earlier on Friday, reports emerged that Benschop had marijuana and painkillers in his system at the time of the accident.

The Fox 29 report indicated that police sources have said that charges could be filed as early as Friday night and that they could go all the way up to involuntary manslaughter. Naturally, Fox 29 also speculated that criminal charges are a possibility for building owner and former “porn king” Richard Basciano and even City of Philadelphia officials.

Meanwhile, two lawsuits have already been filed by victims of the building collapse.

PHOTO: Nick Vadala