Recovery crews in Philadelphia pulled the bodies of two ironworkers from the rubble of a collapsed parking garage Monday morning, ending a five-day search that gripped the city after the structure came crashing down last Wednesday.

Victims Identified as Union Ironworkers

Mayor Cherelle Parker announced that search teams recovered Matthew Kane, 51, and Mark Scott Jr., both members of Ironworkers Local 401, with dignity and compassion for their families. Kane’s cousin Brian Forstater described him as a good father who brought laughter to family gatherings. The family of Scott has requested privacy during this difficult time. A third worker, Stepan Shevchuk, 26, was initially rescued from the garage collapse but later died at the hospital from his injuries.

Demolition and Recovery Operation

Crews worked through the weekend to demolish the partially collapsed structure before search teams could safely enter the debris field Sunday night. Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson explained that rescue workers had to carefully delayer the rubble piece by piece using shovels, buckets, and their hands to reach the victims. The bodies were removed in ambulances around five o’clock Monday morning as fellow ironworkers embraced each other at the scene. The parking garage had been under construction for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to expand employee parking facilities.

Investigation Ordered Into Collapse

Mayor Parker signed an executive order directing the city solicitor and law department to conduct an independent, comprehensive investigation into what caused the deadly collapse. Officials say the site will now transition into the investigation phase as crews continue clearing debris and repairing damaged infrastructure. Roads surrounding the collapse area remain closed while investigators work to determine what went wrong at the construction site. The tragedy highlights ongoing concerns about worker safety at active construction sites across American cities.