The town of Los Cristianos hosted a remembrance event yesterday to pay tribute to the seven people who lost their lives in the Julián José building, which collapsed on the 14th of April 2016. The mayor, Fátima Lemes, led this emotional gathering alongside members of the municipal corporation, including the former mayor and current opposition councillor, José Julián Mena; as well as the former president of the building’s residents association, Ánima Marrero, in addition to members of the Civil Guard, National PoliceLocal Police and Civil Protection, among others.
The commemoration of the eighth anniversary of the collapse included a minute of silence and the laying of flowers and candles next to the wall surrounding the plot where the building once stood, which now remains empty.
The Julián José building, located at number 12 Amalia Alayón Street and the parallel Valle Menéndez Street, collapsed mostly at 9:31 am on Thursday the 14th of April 2016, resulting in the death of seven people and the evacuation of around 90 individuals, including residents from adjacent buildings: Bruno, Linares, Chicharro, and Porlamar. The rescue operations lasted three days and involved 250 personnel. Five days later, 38 of those affected were able to return to their homes.
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The Julián José was a four-storey building housing 28 people in its 24 apartments (as well as several commercial units). The structure stood for 44 years, having been built in 1972. The judge handling the case issued a ruling on the 12th of July 2018, ordering the dismissal and closure of the criminal proceeding related to the building collapse.
