A collapse in Villa Gesell raised alarms about the situation of constructions on the Atlantic Coast and the work of municipalities in project control. Authorities in Villa Gesell reported that it was an illegally conducted construction that did not comply with municipal regulations. The incident occurred in the early morning.
In January 2020, the seaside city had already experienced an incident with the collapse of three balconies of a building. Experts indicated that the fall of one of the balconies generated a domino effect that ended with the entire construction collapsing to the ground. Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities on this occasion, but it raised concerns at the start of the summer season.
The Atlantic Coast has been the scene of other tragic events, such as in Mar del Plata, where two people died due to the detachment of balconies in 2018. In Santa Teresita, the collapse of a cultural center under construction claimed the lives of six people the same year.
In July 2020, a similar incident occurred in Mar del Plata when masonry from a building fell and caused the death of a woman, while her daughter and another girl remained unharmed. In 1992, in Pinamar, a balcony gave way, resulting in the death of four young tourists. Those responsible for that incident, brothers Juan and Andrés Majesky, were sentenced to three years of probationary prison and nine years of professional disqualification after an investigation.
The salt from the sea, winds, high temperatures, and lack of shade in coastal cities increase the risk in constructions on the Atlantic Coast. It is essential for authorities to reinforce controls to prevent tragedies like those mentioned.
