The seven families who were displaced — fortunately without any injuries — following the building collapse in Petralona are still waiting for answers. Those answers concern both the causes that led to an incident that was, by sheer luck, not fatal, as well as compensation and the fate of their belongings. The residents are urging that the issue remain in the public spotlight and not fade from attention over time, especially as structural inspections continue and the neighboring building remains evacuated. Police officers are standing guard over the rubble to protect whatever personal belongings of the residents have not been irreparably damaged.
Petralona: What is happening with the neighboring building
The precautionary evacuation of the adjacent apartment building — ordered last Wednesday, July 1 — remains in effect pending the completion of structural integrity inspections. Similar assessments are also being carried out on a nearby building located in close proximity to the collapsed structure. Specialist engineering teams continue their technical checks to determine whether proper construction procedures were followed during the erection of the building that is believed to have triggered the collapse of the neighboring structure.
Professor of Natural Disasters, Costas Synolakis, is sounding the alarm over aging buildings and over energy upgrade projects carried out on apartment complexes without adequate consideration for the structural safety of the buildings themselves.
