Photo of Montgomery Mall parking garage after accident from WJLA live stream.

A sequence of events that included a malfunctioning jack and over-extended scaffolding may be to blame for the partial collapse of a Westfield Montgomery Mall parking garage that killed one person, according to a new report.

The report from KCE Structural Engineers, obtained by the Washington Post, call the event a “tragic construction incident” that occurred after a sequence of events.

  • A “safety” tower wide flange header beam began to fall (twisted)
  • In an attempt to rectify the situation, [a Whiting-Turner crew] re-jacked the tee up and was in the process of removing the slightly twisted steel section
  • A jack/pump assembly may have malfunctioned
  • The “jacking” tower scaffold legs were extended beyond manufacturer recommendations and extension sections were not braced per manufacturer requirements
  • Carroll Dexter Willis, 57, was killed after a 43,000-pound slab on concrete fell 18 inches. Another worker was seriously injured.

    Montgomery County officials will meet with Whiting-Turner, according to the Post.