Builder of Water Slide That Broke Had No State Contractor’s License
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CONCORD, Calif. — The water slide that collapsed and killed a teenager on a graduation outing was built by a Canadian company that did not have a California contractor’s license, the Contra Costa Times reported Friday.
Whitewater West Industries of British Columbia, which calls itself the world’s largest builder of water parks, was fined $20,600 by the state. The company built the slides at Waterworld USA in 1995. One of them gave way June 2, killing a Napa High School student and injuring 32 others.
The problem was that the company did not understand California licensing codes, President Geoffrey Chutter said. He added that company administrators thought they could start the job while they were applying for a state license.
State and city officials discovered the oversight when union officials informed them, according to Greg Feere, director of the Building Trade and Construction Council in Martinez, Calif.
Concord Community Development Director Bill Reeds said he was not aware that Whitewater did not have a license.
State records show that the company applied for a license but did not have one March 21, 1995, when a state inspector visited the construction site.
Waterworld USA opened June 3, 1995.
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