ATLANTA, Georgia The firm that oversaw the construction of an Atlanta parking garage that collapsed Monday was fined earlier this month in the December collapse of a walkway at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, a spokeswoman told CNN.Hardin Construction LLC of Atlanta was one of three companies found liable in that incident, according to Hardin spokeswoman Barkley Russell. One person was killed and 18 were injured in that collapse.
The three firms -- Hardin, Williams Erection Co. and Southeast Access, all of the Atlanta area -- were collectively fined $26,250 in the walkway collapse, according to documents from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Hardin is appealing its portion of the fine -- $6,300, Russell said.
The garden bridge was being built as part of the gardens' expansion. OSHA determined the walkway's form work was not properly braced to support weight, according to the documents.
Meanwhile, search and rescue operations entered their second day Tuesday at the midtown parking garage, with officials saying they want to be absolutely sure no one is trapped inside.
Searchers have found no sign of victims, but "we're not going to take any chances," said Bobby Stewart, Atlanta Fire Department spokesman. "We're going to search every corner, every confined space, every spot in the parking deck, as well as every single vehicle in the parking deck" to make sure no one is inside. Watch residents describe what it was like to be near the garage collapse »
He noted calls regarding the collapse came in about 12:20 p.m. Monday, and some people could have been using the 1,415-space deck during their lunch breaks.
Hardin completed the Centergy deck in December 2002, and it passed inspection then, Russell said. While Hardin Construction managed the schedule and budget of the project, she said, another firm, Greenville, South Carolina-based Metromont Corp., actually built the parking deck. Metromont officials did not immediately return a call from CNN on Tuesday.
The deck is usually busy, with cars and people constantly in and out, said Nancy Bistritz, who parks there. Bistritz, the director of marketing and communications for interactive advertising agency Nurun, said she was relieved that officials believe no one was hurt, saying that would be an "amazing" occurrence.
Bistritz believes her car is unhurt, as she parks on the side opposite the collapse. She doesn't know for sure, however, as she and other employees have been barred from entering or leaving the deck -- and she doesn't know when she will be able to retrieve her car.
The property management company, Fifth Street Management, distributed a one-page fact sheet to employees on Tuesday, but it offered no information on when they would be allowed to claim their cars, Bistritz said. Employees were also asked to give their names, a description of their car and an approximation of where they parked, she said.
She said she got more information from a story Tuesday in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution newspaper, which quoted Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran as saying it would be two to four days before people would be allowed inside. The newspaper also said operations were halted for several hours Monday night because of shifting in the structure; Bistritz said she wasn't told that either.
"I'm really not comfortable walking in that deck," she said, but "... I just kind of want to know what the game plan is."
Fifth Street Management referred questions to the Schroeder Public Relations firm. President Chris Schroeder said the company understands employees' frustration, but "we are at the mercy of the public safety personnel in charge."
He said the company is trying to keep workers updated, saying it sent out e-mails and made intercom announcements on Monday, then distributed the fact sheet Tuesday. He said he is hopeful that, with the help of authorities, Fifth Street will be able to provide more information to its tenants later in the day.
Stewart said the fire department's 24-hour operation ends at 1 p.m. Tuesday, but other agencies have work to do after that. He predicted it would be at least another 24 hours before workers could retrieve their cars. Some cars that were in the way of operations have been towed, he said.Bistritz said she got a ride home from a friend Monday, and was planning to drive her parents' car Tuesday, as they are out of town. "Then it was like, where am I going to park?" She said she wound up taking public transit to work.CNN's Ashley Broughton contributed to this report.
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