Overpass builders failed to follow design, engineer testifies

The engineer who designed Laval'sde la Concorde overpass told the inquiry investigating its collapse Wednesday that hisplans were not properly followed.

Gilles Dupaul wasthe senior engineer responsible for designing the Laval overpass when itwas built more than 35 years ago.

Although the 78-year-old admitted he had never visited the site during its construction, he said he realized the steel reinforcement bars were not in the right place after reviewingphotos of thecollapse.

Dupaul said in some places the steel bars, used to reinforce concrete, seemed to be too short and there were too few of them.

Asupervisor should have been on site to inspect the placement of the steel bars before the concrete was poured, he said.

According to contracts released by thecommission of inquiry, a company called Acier d'armature de Montreal was responsible for installing the bars.

Although the company is now defunct, its former president told Radio-Canadahe believes he contracted out the installation to another company, Desrochers Steel, which is also defunct.

The inquiry's head prosecutorhas confirmed the commission is still trying to establish which company installed the steel bars.

Theinquiry into the September collapse that killed five people and injured six others got underway in Montreal earlier this month.