(KXAN) Austin NBC affiliate KXAN has uncovered new documents that shed some light on what caused the glass to break in the first incident at the W Hotel back on June 10.
It is a preliminary report from Curtain Wall Design and Consulting which concludes the glass panels shattered when concrete from the 27th floor fell and hit them.
The company recommended the W replace two of the damaged panels back on June 13, more than two weeks before more glass shattered and fell from the building on Monday and Tuesday.
The report said, "Since the glass surfaces have been compromised it cannot be determined with certainty if or when partially damaged units may fail."
"There were 22 other panels that were damaged due to the original falling glass and those panels were replaced within a few days," said Beau Armstrong, Stratus Properties CEO.
The report includes several photographs that show damaged glass panes with nicks and edge damage.
The inspector stated, "Due to the location of the point supported glass in-fill panels any falling debris could likely damage the top edge of glass causing catastrophic failure."
The report goes on to recommend "that the contractor perform a full building survey of the glass balcony rail and adjacent slab edges to determine if other damage or potential debris is present which may pose a risk for additional breakage."
No reports are available for the June 27 and June 28 incidents when glass panels shattered and fell from the hotel. The developer is in the process of replacing all of the building's glass balcony panels in order to insure safety.
