The top floors of the Bucharest block of flats affected by the powerful explosion last Friday, October 17, which killed three people, must be removed to prevent it from collapsing, according to interim mayor Stelian Bujduveanu. He based the decision on the State Inspectorate for Construction, which has completed the technical assessment of the building in the Rahova district.
According to the specialists’ conclusions, the building suffered irreversible damage, and consolidation works would involve a major risk and very high costs. Therefore, controlled demolition of the building is recommended, but this will only be carried out after the completion of the criminal investigation.
Experts determined that the building no longer meets the legal requirements for mechanical resistance and stability. According to the ISC report cited by Euronews Romania, the affected block is “in a state of permanent imbalance.”
Specialists propose the controlled demolition of floors 5–8 in the affected area, using a long-arm excavator equipped with hydraulic shears. For the safety of operations, the report stipulates the establishment of a security perimeter around the block and the restriction of access for people in this area.
Similar measures will be applied in the vicinity of the “Dimitrie Bolintineanu” High School, located nearby, which was also affected by the explosion.
Bucharest City Hall will contract a specialized company to remove the floors and stabilize the area. All debris will be cleared, along with all remaining vehicles.
“We have the ISC report, which says that part of the building must be dismantled, and the upper floors must be removed to prevent the entire building from collapsing, but we can only enter once the investigators hand it over to us. Until the police allow us, we cannot enter that building,” said interim mayor Stelian Bujduveanu, cited by News.ro.
“The most important thing is that this area no longer poses a risk for the future. The nearby high school will need to be restored as quickly as possible so that those children can return to their studies,” he added.
The school building does not appear to be heavily affected, with only one column damaged by the explosion.
Gas network operator Distrigaz also announced that it is gradually resuming the supply of natural gas, which had been interrupted following the explosion in District 5, for more than 1,000 household customers, according to Stirileprotv.ro. The cited source specified that for certain buildings on Vicina Street and Calea Rahovei, the resumption of supply will take place only after the completion of the investigations into the explosion.
In the meantime, some of the people in the area were relocated to temporary housing.
“We have been contacted by people who want residents from the other staircases to be accommodated, next week, in the hotel provided by the City Hall of the capital. We are preparing, together with NGOs, with the municipality’s own apartments, to make them available so that these families have a place to live for a medium and long-term period,” said Bujduveanu. He also specified that psychological counseling has been offered to approximately 350 residents.
The explosion in Bucharest’s District 5 left 3 dead and 15 injured. One of the injured, a 53-year-old man, was transferred to the University Hospital in Graz, Austria. According to the Ministry of Health, he has burns on approximately 20% of his body.
The legal side of the investigation is also progressing, although the exact cause of the explosion is yet to be determined. According to the initial information, on October 16, a day before the explosion, a Distrigaz team detected a gas leak and decided to shut off the gas supply to the building. The same team applied a seal to the gas valves.
However, technicians from a private company who came afterward allegedly broke the seal and turned the gas back on, Digi24 reported. After the explosion on October 17, Distrigaz representatives noted that the seal had been indeed broken by unauthorized operators.
On Sunday, October 19, the administrator of the block was questioned by prosecutors. She confirmed for journalists at the entrance to the Prosecutor’s Office that it was not the residents who broke the seal and turned on the gas valve, but a specialized company. A resident said the same, adding that the company was recommended by Distrigaz itself.
Dozens of people have spoken with investigators so far, including representatives from Distrigaz, as well as those from the private company that went to the building to repair the gas leak. Police commissioner Gheorghe Cristian, head of the Criminal Investigations Directorate, stated that the explosion could have a technical or human cause.
In parallel with the questioning, investigations at the site continue.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos | Pana Tudor)
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