Equipes rescuers located the second body in the rubble of the building that collapsed on Monday at Görlitz, east of Saxônia, Alemanha. The victim is a 26-year-old woman, identified as a Romanian tourist who had been reported missing. A police spokesperson confirmed the discovery and revealed that another body, that of a 25-year-old woman, also Romanian, had already been found on Wednesday night.
Search operations remain intense. Cerca of 57 thousand inhabitants live in Görlitz, a city located on the bank of the Neisse river. A 48-year-old man, also missing, is still being looked for by firefighters and volunteers working manually among the wreckage of the historic building. Police are not ruling out the possibility of more victims under the rubble.
Gás as likely cause of structural collapse
A gas leak was discovered by police just hours after the collapse of the apartment building located on James-von-Moltke-Straße, close to the train station. The mayor of Görlitz, Octavian Ursu (CDU), declared that everything indicates that a gas explosion was responsible for the collapse of the building. The exact cause remains under investigation by local authorities.
The building housed rental apartments and vacation homes, and was used as a commercial property before the collapse. Construído in the region’s historical period, the building aroused tourist interest and served as a location for international film productions. Preliminary investigations point to failures in gas systems as a determining factor, although a full investigation is still necessary.
Operação rescue in progress and isolation of area
Desde Monday, rescue teams carry out intense work in the rubble, focusing on locating possible survivors. The region around the building was completely evacuated and isolated by authorities to ensure the safety of operators and neighboring residents. Bombeiros, police and volunteers take turns searching, using machines and manual techniques to carefully remove the debris.
Complete removal of the debris will take time. Apenas, after this conclusion, it will be possible to confirm whether there are other victims among the wreckage, said the police spokesperson. Nenhum another missing persons report was filed in addition to the three already known cases, which suggests that the number of victims may be limited.
Contexto from Görlitz and public safety
Görlitz is the easternmost city of Alemanha and serves as an important center for the Alta Lusácia region. Desde 1998, forms a cross-border European city together with Zgorzelec, located on the Polish side of the river Neisse. With 57 thousand inhabitants, the town attracts tourists and international film producers thanks to its well-preserved historic center.
The collapse reignited debates about periodic inspection of old buildings and maintenance of gas systems in residential buildings:
- Investigação underway to identify those responsible for lack of maintenance
- Análise of building inspection records for the past five years
- Revisão of security protocols in historic properties
- Possível audits other similar buildings in the region
- Comunicações with Romanian authorities about victims and families
Search operations are expected to continue in the coming days. German Autoridades coordinates with Romanian consulate to notify family members of identified victims.
