Story
February 6, 2020
Anguish and Heartache Over 2015 Building Collapse in Havana (Spanish)
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Death Traps of Havana
Dozens of people have been killed in building collapses in Havana. Time, weather, and neglect are...
On July 15, 2015, four people died under the debris of a collapsed building in La Habana. The unit in the first floor was being remodeled to construct a fast food restaurant.
"My mother was the president of CDR and made a complaint to the proper authorities because no one knew what they were doing," says Rafael Álvarez, a baker whose mother died in the incident. They had left the walls of the unit, which are 101 years old, in the bricks.
On the night of the collapse, Rafael was preparing milk for his daughter when he felt a rumble and then saw the floor of his house collapsing. He was trapped up to his waist in debris. His mother cried, "Save the kids, save the kids".
To read the full story in Spanish, click here.
El 15 de julio de 2015 cuatro personas murieron bajo los escombros de un edificio que colapsó en La Habana. La vivienda de la planta baja estaba siendo remodelada para construir un restaurante de comida rápida.
"Mi mamá era la presidenta del CDR y se quejó ante las autoridades porque nadie sabía lo que estaban haciendo", cuenta Rafael Álvarez, un panadero cuya madre murió en el incidente. Habían dejado las paredes de la vivienda, de 101 años, en el ladrillo.
La noche del derrumbre Rafael estaba preparando leche para su hija cuando sintió un estruendo y luego vio caerse el piso de su casa. Quedó atrapado hasta la cintura entre los escombros. Su madre gritaba: "Salva a los niños, salva a los niños".
