Two workers died and one injured when two floors collapsed in a building under construction in Fuencarral

The rescued worker is admitted to La Paz with fractures in both legs and without life-threatening risk.

MADRID, 7 May. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Two construction workers died this Tuesday morning when two slabs weighing about 10 tons of a building under construction in the district of Fuencarral collapsed, while a third worker was injured with fractures in both legs.

The events occurred around 11:15 a.m. in a building under construction located on Lezama Street and Llodio Street, near Avenida Cardenal Herrera Oria, as Madrid Emergency sources have informed Europa Press.

This is a property where the company Dema Demoliciones was carrying out work as part of a housing rehabilitation project for Acciona.

The mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, has explained that it is an old building that had a tertiary use and has been changed to residential use and where 140 homes were going to be built. From the City Council, he explained, the licenses are being investigated to check that everything is in order.

For reasons that are being investigated, the floor of the top floor has collapsed, with a concrete slab weighing about eight tons that has fallen on another floor of the floor immediately below, this one weighing about two tons.

Both structures have fallen on the place where both workers were, who have been crushed under the concrete slabs. In addition, a third worker has been rescued and transferred to the La Paz hospital with advance notice in a Samur-Civil Protection ambulance.

The 38-year-old man has suffered fractures in both legs and multiple bruises, although his condition is not serious, health sources have told Europa Press.

According to the construction manager, after having made a count of the personnel working on the rehabilitation of the property, the building is empty and only these two construction workers would be trapped.

As a result of the collapse, the building is unstable and in danger of collapsing. "The consolidation work in your case is going to take a long time. We have to be calm because at the moment there are some slabs and several beams that also threaten to collapse," said the mayor of the capital, who has gone to the place to see firsthand. hand in hand what happened together with the vice mayor and delegate of Security and Emergencies, Inma Sanz.

Due to this risk of collapse, the work of the Madrid City Council Firefighters to reach the workers trapped under the rubble has had to be carried out with great care, which has delayed the work to guarantee their safety and be able to reach the workers. without the forging collapsing.

"The situation in which these slabs and the adjacent structure have been left is a situation of great instability," said José Luis Legido, head of the Fire Department. "The work is very laborious and complicated; that slab on high floors is very heavy and the action of firefighters is complex and requires the support of heavy crane machinery, as well as specific firefighter material for rescue and demolition, in collapsed structures ", he indicated.

Thus, there have been two large tonnage cranes with which to lift the slabs that have collapsed. "We are doing work to secure the structure to later be able to raise the part that has been demolished and that unfortunately has crushed two victims," ​​explained Legido.

By late afternoon, the cranes had managed to lift part of the slab and concrete and the Firefighters managed to reach the bodies of the workers after more than eight hours of work.

After being rescued, Samur-Civil Protection health workers have certified their deaths, Madrid Emergency sources have told Europa Press.

The Municipal Police has collaborated in the rescue efforts with several drones from the Air Support Section to provide a high-altitude view with which to help firefighters reach the trapped workers.

Likewise, it has joined the investigation through the Judicial Coordination Police Stations with the Workplace Accidents and Scientific Police Groups. The Judicial Police of the Municipal Police investigate what happened.

Likewise, a preventive health device has been deployed at the site with personnel from Samur-Civil Protection and Summa-112 to act if necessary. A psychological help tent has been set up in the area for the relatives and colleagues of the workers who may need it.

During his visit to the site, the mayor declined to venture any hypothesis about the causes of the collapse. "There is certainly no conclusion to be drawn for now in this regard. We are already checking, from an urban planning point of view, the licenses and the administrative procedure followed to be able to begin the execution of these works," indicated the mayor of the capital.

The second vice president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, announced this Tuesday that the Labor and Social Security Inspection will open an investigation into this work accident.

In statements to La Sexta reported by Europa Press, he expressed his condolences to the families of the two workers and indicated that the Inspection will investigate the circumstances of this fatal work accident.

After confirming both deaths, both the regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, and Almeida have expressed their condolences. "Our deepest condolences and affection to those closest to them," the president wrote on social networks.

For his part, the mayor has expressed Madrid's "support and affection" for the families and friends of the workers at this time. "We appreciate the hard work of Madrid's firefighters and emergencies," he wrote on social networks. The vice-mayor of Madrid has spoken along the same lines, and, in addition to her condolences, has highlighted the recognition of the security and emergency forces for their work.

The spokesperson for Más Madrid, Rita Maestre, has used her social networks to convey her group's condolences. My deepest condolences to the families and acquaintances of the two people who died in Fuencarral-El Pardo due to the collapse of a slab. Much remains to be done to reduce these unfortunate workplace accidents. Thank you to the Madrid Emergency services for their work," she wrote.

The Municipal Socialist Group, led by Reyes Maroto, has regretted the two deaths "despite the good work of the firefighters" and they accompany "family and friends in these very difficult moments."

Vox has followed the same line, regretting the two deaths after the collapse of the floor of a building and wishing the injured person a speedy recovery.