Bonfire inquiry needs more time

More money required to complete investigation

By Erin Sherbert

Daily Texan (U. Texas at Austin)

AUSTIN, Texas (U-WIRE) - Investigators of the 1999 Texas A&M Bonfire collapse said Tuesday that they will need more time and money to complete the investigation, which was originally scheduled to conclude on March 31.

Although investigators didn't specify by how much they will exceed their $1 million budget, the Bonfire Commission plans to ask the university for the funds next Tuesday.

Jon Zagrodzky, a consultant with McKinsey & Co., a management and consulting firm providing the commission with pro bono assistance, said because the nature of the investigation and research is so complex, future work is difficult to plan, and findings may extend schedules and budgets.

He added that a few uncertainties, such as the number of interviews required, are preventing investigators from knowing how much money is needed to finish the job.

"Basically, anytime you find that there is a lead, you have to follow up - at this time we can't be precise about how many of those we are going to end up doing," Zagrodzky said. "Every time you add another interview, it not only adds time to the budget but cost as well."

Leo Linbeck, chair for the commission, said although he's anxious to complete the work, extending the investigation deadline is necessary in order to efficiently make a final conclusion.

"I suspect we could jump to conclusions today and not be certain about the validity of those conclusions and satisfy the people who desire a quick answer," he said. "But the larger issue is how can we be thorough enough in order to assure that the outcome is one based on fact and truth rather than speculation and hypothesis."

Also at the meeting Tuesday, the investigating firms presented their findings thus far and their future plans.

Kent Lietzau, chief of staff for McKinsey & Co., said the teams have completed 40 percent of the investigation and analysis stage, adding that the next step is to begin team reports and develop possible hypotheses for the collapse that killed 12 and injured 27 in November.

"A hypothesis development is in the near future - taking the pieces to the puzzle they have collected and begin exploring various options, various sequences and various possibilities that may have occurred," Lietzau said.

He added that the commission will not start a final report until the teams meet to discuss their individual reports.

Fay Engineering, the team investigating the Bonfire's historical design, has completed log density tests and finished analyzing photos of the structure from 1928 to the present.

Lietzau said Fay also conducted a rope experiment, in which the team selected a portion of a one-inch rope similar to those used in the Bonfire, kept it in tension, then twisted and tightened the rope as it normally would be in building the Bonfire.

"As you tighten the rope, you pull up some slack, but at the same time you will stretch the rope, and the top of the structure will be pulled toward that location as well - which means other ropes will be tightened and stretched," Lietzau said.