Lisbon’s Municipal Civil Protection chief, Margarida Castro Martins, detailed the situation surrounding a building facade collapse on Rua do Sol à Graça. She confirmed that a technical inspection of the affected building at number 41 revealed instability, necessitating stabilization through shoring. In contrast, residents of the adjacent building, number 39, have returned to their homes on all floors.
The official reported that the municipality has arranged hotel accommodations for two families from number 41, with “eight individuals returning to their homes while eight remain displaced.”
Castro Martins clarified that the issue did not originate inside the apartments, attributing it to the structural stability of the building, with a crack indicating an engineering assessment concluded that “there’s no security in terms of structural stability.”
Efforts will commence to stabilize the fallen facade and clear the debris, aiming to better understand the incident’s causes.
“Only after these actions will the construction work resume,” she stressed, with reassurance that the project holds proper licenses and is monitored by the Urban Planning Directorate.
Mayor Carlos Moedas assured that the incident resulted in “no victims, no injuries,” adding that the city council will “find the necessary solutions.”
Notícias ao Minuto com Lusa | 10:32 – 03/09/2025
At around noon, Castro Martins informed journalists on-site that the “technical inspection” was completed with the support of the contractor responsible for the early morning collapse.
“Inspections of both buildings were conducted, assessing safety and habitability. As of now, of the 16 displaced individuals, eight have returned to their homes,” she said.
She noted that the street would remain partially closed for safety, particularly in the affected area.
Early in the morning, around 16 residents were displaced due to the partial facade collapse of an adjoining older building at around 3:00 a.m. in the São Vicente district.
No injuries occurred, but residents in neighboring buildings were evacuated as their homes became uninhabitable, with the reported collapse leaving one building’s side destroyed and possessions exposed, according to initial fire brigade reports.
The collapsed building was undergoing restoration.
