Collapse in Havana Leaves More Than 600 People on the Street

Collapse in Havana Leaves More Than 600 People on the Street / Agusto
Cesar San Martin and Pablo Mendez
Posted on March 5, 2014

HAVANA, Cuba. — Since the afternoon of last Thursday the 27th, the
residents of the building located at 308 Oquendo, between San Rafael and
San Miguel, Centro Havana remain on the street.

The partial collapse of the upper floors put in danger the structure of
the five story building of 120 apartments.

From the first concrete crashes, the more than 600 residents began to
abandon the property, transferring their belongings to the street.
Facing the imminence of total collapse, the local authorities ordered an
evacuation.

The residents keep doors, bathroom tiles, toilets, electric appliances,
beds and all kinds of belongings on the street. These people have not
been evacuated.

At 7:00 pm on Saturday the police ordered the electricity cut off and
prohibited entry into the building until Sunday morning. The order
caused a disruption for the residents who have not finished gathering
their belongings.

On Friday, local government officials met with some of those affected.
According to one of the victims, they made assurances that they would
evacuate everyone gradually.

One of the building's residents who did not want to be identified told
the independent press said:

"We don't know where to go. Yesterday nine buses came by here in order
to take us to shelters, and they were empty. . . We want homes, not
shelter."

It is also known that some affected families were installed in
apartments of buidlings located in Santa Fe, Playa township. The
provision of dwellings is prioritized by the composition of nuclear
families with children.

The building constructed in 1928 was declared in danger of collapse in
1988. All the victims consulted agree on the reiteration of the
government alerts about the deterioration of the building.

Cubanet, March 3, 2014, Augusto Cesar San Martin and Pablo Mendez

Translated by mlk.

Source: Collapse in Havana Leaves More Than 600 People on the Street /
Agusto Cesar San Martin and Pablo Mendez | Translating Cuba -
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