The second-floor balconies gave way at 10.30 on Monday night.

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Twelve people had to be evacuated from an apartment block in Cala Rajada on Monday night after four balconies collapsed. The 12 evacuees were staying in the annex of the Hostal Gili near the son Moll beach and were all moved to bedrooms in the main building. Fortunately nobody was injured. The incident happened just after 10.30 pm when the balconies on the second floor of the annex gave way and came crashing down on the balconies below. The rubble and falling balconies landed just yards away from the terrace bar which was fortunately closed, thus the terrace was empty. But Local Police sealed off the entire terrace area and one side of the annex. The building is three stories high and the annex, the smallest building of the complex which was modernised in 1999 and has 580 bedrooms, is used by the owner, family and friends during the summer holidays. Yesterday the Director General for Planning and inspectors from the Ministry for Tourism visited the scene and, accompanied by the Mayor of Capdepera, Joan Pascaul, inspected the whole comlex. Both the municipal architect and the owners of the complex, Bernat Martorell, apparently agree that the cause of the balcony collapse could have been work carried out on the balconies a few years ago. Apparently while the terraces and posts were changed, the pillars holding up the balconies were not and they gave way under the weight. For the moment, the annex building is closed and a full investigation has been launched. The owner has asked for planning permission to repair the damage.