National
Two dead as buiding collapses in Santander city centre
By m.p.
Dec 9, 2007 - 10:18 AM

Two people have died and another is missing after a building in the old part of Santander city centre suddenly collapsed early on Saturday evening. The first body to be recovered was that of 70 year old Gumersinda Colmenero, and it’s understood that the second, recovered by firemen shortly before 6am on Sunday, could either be her son, or another man who lives with the family. The woman’s other son escaped with his life and is under treatment in the Marqués de Valdecilla Hospital.

Sniffer dogs are working at the scene at number 14, la Cuesta del Hospital, where the rubble is being cleared away by hand in the hopes of finding the third person alive.

Construction work taking place on an adjacent building is being put forward as the possible cause of the collapse, with indications from the city’s Mayor, Iñigo de la Serna, that the site has exceeded the limits of the planning permission granted by City Hall. He said municipal technicians visited the site on Friday, following a complaint placed by local residents.

Number 14, la Cuesta del Hospital, is the fifth building in the Cabildo de Arriba district of Santander which has collapsed since 2005, in an area which has become increasingly run-down in recent years, and where another 10 buildings in this historic part of the city have been demolished by City Hall.