Two people were found dead after part of an apartment block collapsed in the Germasogeia area on Saturday, as rescue crews continued a major operation at the scene and authorities said it was still unclear whether others remained trapped.
One person was pulled from the rubble at around 5.30 p.m. and was confirmed dead, while a second body was recovered at about 7.30 p.m. after hours of rescue efforts.
Three people were taken to the hospital by ambulance, but their condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
A large-scale operation has been underway since midday, involving the Fire Service, EMAK, Civil Defence, the ambulance service and the Limassol District Local Government Organisation. An excavator and lorries were brought in to remove debris, while a crane was used to support part of the building that was at risk of collapsing.
Deputy mayor of Agios Athanasios Marinos Kyriakou told reporters that authorities still did not know whether others were under the rubble. He confirmed that the apartment block had been deemed dangerous and said registered warning letters had been sent to the owners by the local government organisation. He added that similar warnings had previously been issued by the former Germasogeia municipality, saying the building had problems and needed renovation.
“I do not know if such a tragic incident has happened again in Cyprus, for a building to collapse and for us to have a dead person or dead people,” Kyriakou said.
Limassol police spokesperson and CID head Costas Michael said police received a report at around 1.30 p.m. about the collapse of an apartment block in Germasogeia. Police, Civil Defence, the Fire Service, local authority officials and the ambulance service all went to the scene.
He said the entire eastern section of a three-storey building had collapsed. Four people were taken to the hospital, three to Limassol general hospital and one to a private clinic. All suffered injuries, but their condition was out of danger.
Michael said one person had been pulled from the rubble dead after what he described as superhuman efforts, while members of the Fire Service, EMAK and Civil Defence were continuing to move debris to determine whether any other people were trapped underneath.
He said officials hoped there would be no further victims, but that this would only become clear as the rubble was removed. He added that the operation was particularly difficult and could continue over the coming days.
Michael said the building had 11 flats and that preliminary examinations suggested about 20 people had been living there, though he stressed that figure remained subject to confirmation.
According to witness accounts, some residents managed to get out of the building in time, while others were away when the collapse happened.
Residents in the area told philenews they heard a loud noise, but at first thought it was explosions from Easter bonfires linked to the Resurrection celebrations.
According to the tenants themselves, the apartment block had been deemed unfit.
Strong police, fire service and EMAK forces remained in the area and continued searches and operations in the rubble.
(photos by Ioanna Mantzipa)
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