The owner of the business talking to the emergency services.

The owner of the business talking to the emergency services. | Juan P. Martínez

Humphrey CarterPalma30/07/2024 14:57
TW
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Palma Local Police and the fire brigade have had to evacuate the residents of two buildings as a precaution after part of the floor collapsed in the interior courtyard of a hairdresser’s in the centre of the city. The owner of the business was slightly injured after a cut on her foot after being trapped in the hole. Council technicians have gone to the scene to assess the state of the building and have also decided to vacate the adjoining property.

The incident took place minutes before 10 a.m. at number 31 Blanquerna, a popular street for restaurants. The owner of the premises opened the hairdresser’s and when she went to leave her handbag in one of the rooms of the premises, she had to cross a small interior courtyard. On her way there, the floor collapsed under her feet.

“The tile broke and then I fell into a hole more than a metre deep”, said Verónica Platero, the victim.
She called her partner, who called the owner of a nearby bar, who came to her aid. “Thank goodness that man came after my boyfriend’s call. I had a big scare,” she said.

Minutes later, several patrols of the local police and teams of the Palma fire brigade arrived and evacuated the residents of the building as a precautionary measure. Minutes later, the same decision was taken with the residents of number 44 Carrer Guillem Massot. Officials from the council’s Urban Planning Department remain on the scene to assess the damage suffered and whether it could lead to some kind of further collapse.