COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Engineers continued to investigate the cause of a tower collapse at the Columbus Motor Speedway Monday.
The collapse occurred Saturday just a few hours before the first race of the season, NBC 4's Candice Lee reported.
Six people suffered minor injuries in the collapse. The most serious injury was to the wife of a local driver. She was released from Grant Medical Center Monday afternoon.
The Columbus Motor Speedway is a family-owned and operated business -- a Columbus institution for Central Ohio race fans.
Co-owner Jeff Nuckles said the concrete floor was part of a spectator observation area.
"We have been operating for 60 some years and have had very few major injuries of any sort," Nuckles said.
Nuckles said that two weeks ago, the facility passed the annual inspection by his insurance company, Naughton Insurance of Providence, R.I.
The City of Obetz Village Administrator Douglas Browell explained that building inspections are only conducted when initial permits are issued.
The inspector only returns to the facility to investigate complaints or when accidents occur.
Browell said that as far as he can remember, the speedway has operated with few problems.
NBC 4 contacted a local structural engineering firm to find out if the inspector could have missed something.
Bill Shelley, president of Shelley, Metz, Baumann & Hawk, explained that some defects are undetectable until a structural failure occurs.
"It's the nature of the material and you can't tell without taking it apart that it may or may not be structurally adequate," Shelley said. "It's entirely feasible that you wouldn't notice anything just by a visual examination of the outside of the concrete."
NBC 4 made several phone calls to Kevin Naughton of Naughton Insurance and was told he was unavailable to answer questions.
Nuckles said the investigative inspection took place Monday afternoon and that he is optimistic that the facility will make its 2009 debut on Saturday.
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