In Summary:
- The roof of a restaurant in Mallorca, Spain, collapsed, resulting in four fatalities and 21 injuries.
- Emergency services are actively working to rescue people trapped under the rubble.
The roof of a restaurant on the popular tourist island of Mallorca, Spain, collapsed on Thursday, causing the deaths of four people and injuring 21 others, according to local emergency services.
An emergency services spokesperson confirmed that victims included individuals of “several nationalities.”
On social media platform X, emergency services reported that seven victims were in “very serious” condition, while nine others sustained “serious” injuries and were admitted to different hospitals.
The two-storey building in the Playa de Palma area, south of Palma de Mallorca, the island’s capital, collapsed late Thursday afternoon. Firefighters and ambulances were swiftly dispatched, and police cordoned off the street to facilitate rescue operations, as observed by an AFP journalist.
Rescue efforts are ongoing to locate more people who may be trapped under the debris, emergency services reported on X. The cause of the collapse is still unknown.
A firefighter described the scene as “nightmarish” to the newspaper Ultima Hora, recalling the chaos of people crying and screaming amidst the rubble.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed his condolences to the victims’ families on X, noting that he was “closely following the consequences of the terrible collapse.”
He assured that the central government is ready to provide “all necessary resources” to assist regional authorities. Sanchez mentioned his conversations with the president of the Balearic Islands, Marga Prohens, and Palma’s mayor, Jaime Martinez, offering full government support.
“I have just spoken with the president Marga Prohens and
with the mayor of the city, Jaime Martinez, to whom I
have conveyed the willingness of the Government of Spain
to collaborate with all the means and personnel that are
necessary”, he stated on X.
“I want to send my condolences to the families of the
deceased and my wishes for a speedy recovery to the
injured”, he added.
Sigo de cerca las consecuencias del terrible derrumbe ocurrido en la playa de Palma.
— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) May 23, 2024
Acabo de hablar con la presidenta @MargaProhens y con el alcalde de la ciudad, @JaimeMartinez, a los que he trasladado la disposición del Gobierno de España a colaborar con todos los medios y…
Balearic Islands President Marga Prohens shared her shock and sorrow on X, sending “love and warmth” to the families of the deceased.
Mallorca, renowned for its clear waters and beaches, is part of the Balearic Islands, which draw more tourists than any other Spanish region except Catalonia.
Over 14 million tourists visited the islands last year, according to official statistics.
The incident occurred at the beginning of the archipelago’s high tourist season on a beachfront avenue lined with shops and entertainment venues.
This collapse is reminiscent of a 2009 incident in Palma de Mallorca, where a three-story building collapse resulted in seven fatalities, including two Germans and three Colombians.