Falling plaster halts council safety meeting

A board meeting in City Council chambers focusing on dangerous structures in San Antonio was cancelled on Monday morning — and the chambers were evacuated — after small chunks of plaster broke free from the lofty ceiling and fell with a thud near city employees.

Members of the city's Dangerous Structure Determination Board were discussing the Oaks on Bandera, an apartment complex on the Northwest Side where a stairway had collapsed on Jan. 7, fatally injuring a resident.



But the board did not have a chance to decide the fate of all the buildings in the complex. During the meeting, white and blue pieces of plaster broke free from the high, decorated ceiling in the council chambers.

The first piece that fell was small and light. But later, a larger piece landed with a loud thunk and almost struck a city employee who inspects dilapidated buildings in San Antonio. No one was injured.