Building Collapse Kills Four in Old Havana

Building Collapse Kills Four in Old Havana
14YMEDIO, Havana | Julio 15, 2015

The peaceful early morning was turned into a tragedy for the neighbors
of 409 Habana Street between Obispo and Obrapia, in Old Havana.

While the residents of the place slept, at six in the morning this
Wednesday, the building fell down and caused at least four deaths, a
figure that could rise in the coming hours given the severity of the
injuries.

A minor was taken to Juan Manual Marquez Pediatric Hospital and two
adults are being cared for at Calixto Garcia Hospital. There they also
received the last of the dead confirmed by 14ymedio, a young woman age
18, Glendys Amayi Pérez Kindelán, who was visiting Havana at the home of
some family members. In the Tomas Romay Polyclinic in Aguiar Street
Henola Álvarez Martínez, a little girl of 3 gravely injured in the
collapse, died.

Jorge A. Álvarez Rodríguez, age 18, and Mayra Páez Mora, age 60, also died.

The street, located in a tourist area, was cordoned off from the very
early hours of the morning and the police detained a young man taking
photos of the incident. The roof was totally caved in and the façade is
cracked in half. Among the rubble one can see furniture, clothing, beds
and other items.

The building had two floors and the neighbors attribute the collapse to
the ground floor tenant who was remodeling and may have removed some
bearing wall. The most affected family had lodged several complaints and
denunciations about these "construction movements" being undertaken in
the downstairs dwelling. The intense rains that fell in Havana yesterday
and the poor state of the housing could have contributed to the collapse.

The rescue brigades are working non-stop to remove the debris in order
to be able to enter the building.

Source: Building Collapse Kills Four in Old Havana -
http://www.14ymedio.com/englishedition/Building-Collapse-Kills-Four-Havana_0_1816618332.html