Revealed: Codeine and marijuana found in the blood of crane operator who worked at site of deadly Philadelphia building collapse



Under the influence: Sean Benschop, 42, tested positive for illegal drugs and prescription narcotics just two hours after Philadelphia building collapse

A crane operator who worked at the site of the Philadelphia building collapse that killed six and left more than a dozen others injured tested positive for marijuana and painkillers, it was revealed today.

Sean Benschop, 42, had samples of his blood and urine tested at a hospital about two hours after part of a building on Market Street crumbled onto the Salvation Army thrift store below Wednesday morning.

Sources also told CBS Philadelphia that police officers noticed that Benschop was speaking in an unusually slow and quiet manner, as if he were whispering.

The 42-year-old crane operator allegedly told investigators that he has been taking prescription pain medications after suffering a cut to his finger recently.

Police sources told ABC Action News that Benschop allegedly admitted to taking the powerful painkiller codeine, and he was seen sporting a soft cast on one arm up to his elbow.

Court records show that Benschop has a long criminal history, which includes 11 arrests for possession and distribution of drugs, theft and assault.

So far, Benschop has not been charged with any crime in connection to the deadly collapse.



However, investigators from the Philadelphia District Attorney Office's Homicide Unit were at the site of the collapse Thursday.



Tragedy: A four-storey building being demolished on Philadelphia's Market Street collapsed Wednesday on the edge of downtown, killing six and injuring 13 people

Frantic search: Firemen and rescue workers swarm the site of a building collapse looking for survivors at 22nd and Market Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Wednesday

Traumatic sight: Phildelphia firefighters bring out a tarp to block the view as a body is removed from the rubble of a building collapse

District Attorney Office's spokeswoman Tasha Jamerson said it was too early to comment on any potential criminal charges in the case.

Boss sued: Benschop was working on the Market Street site as part of a demolition project handled by contractor Griffin Campbell, who is now facing a lawsuit in connection to the incident

Benschop, who described himself as being 'self-employed,' was working on the Market Street site as part of a demolition project handled by Griffin Campbell Construction.

Campbell's company was handing demolition at multiple adjacent properties along the 2100 block of Market Street, including house number 2136, which came crashing down on Wednesday.

It was revealed Thursday that nearly a month before the deadly collapse that ended the lives of six people, the City of Philadelphia had been made aware of potentially unsafe demolition practices at the site.



In a press release this afternoon, Williams said that the city will now begin conducting 'proactive inspections' of all private demolitions.



Campbell, 49, is a licensed contractor in Philadelphia, but he had several run-ins with the law in the past: in 2009, he pleaded guilty to theft and insurance fraud charges, NBC Philadelphia reported.



A lawsuit has already been file against Campbell by two women who were buried under piles of debris, including Nadine White, a 54-year-old mother of three who worked at the thrift store, and Linda Bell, a 50-year-old mother of three who was shopping when the collapse happened.





