Nutter launches investigation into Licenses and Inspections

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter has called for an audit of the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections after claims surfaced that inspectors were not doing their jobs.

After 2013's deadly building collapse at 22nd and Market streets in Center City, new inspection regulations were put into place.

Published reports say those guidelines are not being followed.

They also claims L&I databases were altered to show inspections on buildings slated for demolition had been completed, when that wasn't the case.

On Monday, Mayor Nutter promised a full investigation.

Nutter said, "What I want to get to is the bottom line of what happened or didn't happen and then we'll let the chips fall where they may. But I'm certainly not going to take action without factual information."

City Controller Alan Butkovitz issued a statement after the mayor's call to action.

Butkovitz claimed his office has been warning the mayor about oversights in L&I for two years, but those warnings have been ignored.