A man hospitalized after collapse in Old Havana

The collapses evidence the alarming state of deterioration of homes and other properties in Cuba. Thousands of people live in constant risk.

Derrumbe en La Habana Vieja © Facebook/CAM Habana Vieja
Collapse in Old HavanaPhoto © Facebook/CAM Habana Vieja

The Cuban Ismael Ramos Suárez is hospitalized at the Calixto García Hospital, due to the injuries suffered from the collapse of the roof of a building in Old Havana, following the rains that occurred last weekend in the capital of Cuba.

On its Facebook page, the Municipal Administration Council (CAM) reported that Ramos, 55 years old, received first aid from firefighters at the scene, as he had wounds on one leg and an arm.

Facebook post/CAM Old Havana

The collapse occurred past seven o'clock in the evening at Villegas number 433 between Muralla and Teniente Rey streets. "The rest of the nuclei are out of danger," assured the governmental entity.

Four days earlier, another partial collapse had occurred on Monte street between Águila and Ángeles, also in Old Havana, which left one person injured, according to neighbors in the area, although CAM presented a different story: "There were no injuries or human losses."

However, images taken by residents of the neighborhood contradicted what was stated by the authorities, as at least one person was injured, as was documented in photographs and videos posted by internet users.

Likewise, social media users reported on Saturday the partial collapse of a house at the corner of Florencia and San Gabriel streets in Cerro, where - according to reports - there were no victims.

The previous week - on Thursday - likewise, three people were injured after a balcony collapsed onto the El Tablazo cafeteria, located on 1st Street, between C and D, in Vedado.

Less than 24 hours had passed when another incident with fatal consequences occurred. In the early hours of Friday, a wall collapsed and fell onto the roof of a house on Calzada del Cerro, between Carvajal and Patria, also in Cerro, leaving one person dead and two injured.

On that same day, the top part of a two-story house in the Playa municipality collapsed. Fortunately, the residents of the house had time to get out before the incident occurred.

During the night, in the middle of a blackout, a house in Alacranes, in the municipality of Union de Reyes, in the province of Matanzas, suffered a partial collapse.

As if it weren't enough, on Saturday afternoon, the roof of the building known as "El Confite" in the municipality of Colón, also in Matanzas, collapsed, without causing injuries or loss of human lives.

These events demonstrate the alarming state of deterioration of housing and other properties in Cuba, due to the lack of maintenance of buildings, and highlight the poor management of the Cuban government in terms of construction and repair of infrastructure.

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