Four people have died after a six-storey building which was being refurbished partially collapsed in the centre of the Spanish capital, Madrid. The city's mayor, Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, said the bodies of the last two of the people reported missing were recovered on Wednesday morning - some 15 hours after several floors at the property on Hileras Street collapsed. Local media reported that the victims included a 30-year-old Spanish woman who was managing the renovation project and three male workers from Mali, Guinea, and Ecuador, aged between 30 and 50. Three other individuals sustained injuries in the incident.
The former office building was being converted into a hotel, and authorities have since launched an investigation. Spanish emergency services deployed various crews, including drones and sniffer dogs, to rescue those who might still be trapped inside the rubble. Two bodies were recovered on Tuesday night.
In a statement posted on social media, Martinez-Almeida expressed deep condolences to the victims' families and friends during this difficult time. A construction worker present at the time described experiencing a sudden collapse and fleeing upon witnessing a massive cloud of dust. Despite the wreckage inside, the building’s exterior facade remained reportedly intact. The redevelopment project, led by the developer Rehbilita, aimed to transform the site into a four-star hotel. The community mourns this tragic loss as investigations continue.
The former office building was being converted into a hotel, and authorities have since launched an investigation. Spanish emergency services deployed various crews, including drones and sniffer dogs, to rescue those who might still be trapped inside the rubble. Two bodies were recovered on Tuesday night.
In a statement posted on social media, Martinez-Almeida expressed deep condolences to the victims' families and friends during this difficult time. A construction worker present at the time described experiencing a sudden collapse and fleeing upon witnessing a massive cloud of dust. Despite the wreckage inside, the building’s exterior facade remained reportedly intact. The redevelopment project, led by the developer Rehbilita, aimed to transform the site into a four-star hotel. The community mourns this tragic loss as investigations continue.
