The residents’ association Vizinhos em Lisboa highlighted structural risks at the Centro Colombo, particularly concerning one of the shopping center’s pillars, and demanded an urgent inspection from the Municipal Council due to the “potential risk to public safety.” Several images have circulated on social media.
On Wednesday, the management of Colombo, located in the Carnide parish and recognized as the largest in the country with around 120,000 square meters and over 300 stores, assured the safety of the entire structure.
Today, in response to a query, the Lisbon municipality indicated that the Municipal Civil Protection Service was informed about the situation through various channels and complaints, leading to immediate contact with the shopping center management and a technical inspection for evaluation.
During the inspection, it was found, according to the municipality, “that this non-conformity does not compromise the normal use of the space, although studies and tests by a certified entity have been recommended to validate structural integrity.”
A technical report was prepared following the analysis by the engineering team of the Municipal Civil Protection Service.
The Lisbon Firefighters Regiment was also present on site.
On Wednesday, the management of the space stated that “the structure of Centro Colombo is entirely secure, with its stability and structural performance fully guaranteed.”
The management of Colombo in Lisbon reassured today the safety of the entire structure after reports, including from a residents’ association, about visible structural degradation in various pillars.
The association Vizinhos em Lisboa shared photographs they believe demonstrate the “visible structural degradation in various pillars and concrete elements” of the commercial establishment, highlighting “chipped areas, material loss, and the presence of improvised materials like adhesive tape directly applied to the pillars.”
“At the same time, opaque coverings are being installed that may conceal critical signs of cracking or fragility. As Colombo is one of the city’s most frequented locations, the situation raises serious public safety concerns,” they warned.
In response, the management stated to a news agency that “the pillar whose image has circulated in recent hours is in perfect safety condition, posing no risk for building use.”
“There is no fracture, crack, or damage to the concrete. The visible effect in photographs and videos results from misalignment in the pillar’s covering, with no impact on its structural function,” they added, asserting that the structural solidity of the pillar in question has always been guaranteed by the shopping center’s technicians.
Proactively, Centro Colombo’s management sought independent reviews from specialized structural entities, noting “the assessment from LNEC — National Laboratory of Civil Engineering, which confirms no cracks or disintegration of the pillar’s concrete or slab, and hence no mechanical rupture of the pillar nor risk of materials detaching and falling.”
“Thus, it concludes there is no danger to the movement of people and goods,” they stated.
Similarly, Centro Colombo requested an evaluation by the Engineering office Adão da Fonseca – Engineering Consultants, Lda., which also “confirms the full functional stability of the structure, once again emphasizing that there is no risk to people and goods.”
