“We have a construction site here, and the contractor will be held accountable. It seems very strange to me that a contractor building such a structure does not pay attention to the wall of an older building,” stated Carlos Moedas, speaking to journalists on-site.
The side wall of the two-story building on Rua de Campo de Ourique collapsed this afternoon, hitting a car, although no injuries were reported.
The city mayor, who was present on the street and witnessed the collapse, noted that municipal services are already working to determine liability.
“It’s very dangerous. We were very lucky, but this is very serious, and responsibility must be determined,” he emphasized, acknowledging that the collapse of the building’s side wall may have been caused by ongoing work on the adjacent site, given that “the ground is still very fragile” following recent weeks of rain.
The director of the Municipal Civil Protection Service explained that the building’s only residents were not at home, but there are 15 other indirectly affected units, where 35 people reside in a neighborhood behind number 85, through which public access is provided.
As of now, individuals inside during the collapse have not yet been allowed to leave, and those who arrived later are being assisted by firefighters to enter through a passage via the neighboring building.
Currently, the street is closed for cleaning operations, and safety conditions will be evaluated afterward, described Margarida Castro Martins. It is during this assessment that the necessity and manner of relocating affected residents will be decided.
