Residents of an apartment building have been told a professional engineer has raised concerns that may be putting their safety at risk.
The city is discussing the concern with residents of Danbrook One in the 2700-block of Claude Road, and if they want to move, they will be compensated.
The city says it received a letter from Engineers and Geoscientists B.C. (EGBC) raising concerns about whether the structural design and its as-built structure meets engineering requirements and whether it sufficiently mitigates risks to health and safety.
The concerns were first brought up by an engineer in April and on Dec. 3, EGBC informed the city there was sufficient evidence in their internal review to launch a formal investigation.
Langford staff has spent much of Wednesday at the apartment and will do so again Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to speak with residents.
Construction of Danbrook One was completed this year and 86 of the structure’s 90 units are occupied.
The city is offering compensation to tenants for moving expenses, and coordinating temporary hotel accommodation for those who feel unsafe and want to leave immediately.
“If we have to move some out, the city will help that move,” Langford Mayor Stew Young said Wednesday night.
An independent engineering firm has been hired by the city to look into the structural concerns and a report is expected to come in the next few days to confirm if there are problems with the building.
Before that report, the Mayor says it’s too early to lay blame.
“We’re just going to make sure that if you’re a resident in Langford in a building that there’s a problem with that we’re there to help them through it.”
The building is owned by Centurion Property Associates, which has six other rental properties in the region, four in Langford.
The city says the builder, DB Services, has completed eight other projects within Langford and Danbrook One is the only concrete high rise the builder has constructed.
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