A total of 13 people were injured and 17 were trapped after the collapse of the pedestrian stairs of a building located in the Parque Alto de El Ingenio de Guatire sector of the Miranda state.
The incident immediately activated an emergency operation that achieved the rescue and evacuation of 52 people residing in the structure.
The director of Civil Protection of Zamora, Carlos Toro, explained that the emergency was recorded at the Leopoldo Martínez Olavarría residence, whose structure houses 20 apartments. Miranda and Zamora Fire Department teams, Civil Protection and the Bolivarian National Police (PNB) acted in a coordinated manner in the operation.
The 13 injured were transferred to the Guarenas-Guatire General Hospital. The authorities reported that they were diagnosed with minor injuries and lacerations, and that no case is serious.
Preventive eviction
After the rescue, a device was implemented to mitigate the risk of a new collapse. In a first phase, the preventive eviction of the inhabitants of the affected building and an adjacent to guarantee their safety was carried out.
“We took preventive actions, the eviction of the other building was carried out, to guarantee the safety of the inhabitants, in a first phase that was carried out with total normality,” said Toro, confirming that all government agencies are focused on responding to the community.
The 52 people evicted were transferred to solidarity shelters, while a team from the Engineering Directorate of the Mayor’s Office of Zamora and the Miranda Governorate evaluates the incident to determine the relevant causes and actions that allow a soon return to their homes.
Lack of maintenance
Although experts continue with the formal diagnosis, it is presumed that the deterioration and lack of maintenance of the structures, with more than 30 years of construction, could be the main cause of collapse.
Residents of the sector pointed out that the structure collapsed just when a group of people descended along the stairs.
Carolina Reyes, Chief of Ubch of the Livia Gouverneur community, warned that 27 towers of the residential complex have the same problem, mainly due to damage caused by leaks.
“We are waiting for an answer, it is really quite worrying, they are buildings where a good number of older people, people with diseases, children, so we call the institutions and the government to attend us,” said Reyes, reiterating that the community had reported the damages and risks of the structure without obtaining an answer to date.
