Quote Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto View Post
It does appear, though, that whomever installed the outer veneer didn't like to use masonry anchors, which are required by Code. When you don't install anchors, you rely strictly on the mortar to hold everything together. Mortar deteriorates and loses integrity over time. Boom.
Or it could be that whomever did the masonry work didn't replace a bad shelf angle, and when it failed, boom. If that's the case, you have to wonder about the state of the shelf angle in the rest of the building.