15 June 2023 , 15:19
643
0
Video footage has shown the terrifying moment a five-storey building in Spain randomly collapsed just "seconds" after its residents were evacuated.
A resident of the building in Teruel, Aragon Region, had called the fire brigade on Tuesday morning after hearing a "creaking" sound.
When firefighters arrived on the scene, some residents had already left the building after hearing the ominous noises and seeing cracks.
Just as the firefighters finished evacuating the remaining residents, the building, which had been home to 21 families, dramatically collapsed.
According to local media, the collapse happened "seconds" after the evacuation was complete.
Gary Glitter 'plans to flee UK after jail release and join love child in Spain'
The cause of the collapse was still unknown. However, some residents are worried that recent heavy rains coupled with a deficient drainage system may have caused it.
Days earlier, several residents of the building had gone to the City Hall to report water leaks (CEN)
The collapse happened "seconds" after the evacuation was complete (CEN)Days earlier, several residents of the building had gone to the City Hall to report water leaks.
Hours after the collapse, journalist, writer, and literary prize winner Javier Sierra, who had lived in the building with his parents when he was a child, took to Twitter to write: "I want to send a huge hug to the families who saw their homes collapse today."
Local police officer Angel Loras told local media: "The structural foundations were as delicate as tissue paper, completely deteriorated, and they caused the building to collapse under pressure."
The building was originally home to 21 families (CEN)During a storm over Teruel the day before a vast amount of rainwater fell in the area.
Building resident Elvira Martin told local media: "We called the City Hall. On Friday, we were there reporting that water was still getting in, asking them to have someone look into it, but they didn't pay attention to us."
Antonio Armunia, whose store's warehouse was in the building's basement, said: "The building wasn't that old. The City Hall didn't assess the situation and merely called the water company.
"Last night, I went down to the garage, and there was a lot of water. If it had happened while we were sleeping, we would all be dead."