Investigation into building collapse ‘to be complete within week’

Investigations into a block of flats which collapsed in Limassol’s Yermasoyia, killing two, are expected to be complete within the week, chief of Limassol CID Costas Michael said on Wednesday.

He told CyBC radio that once investigations are complete, the police will transfer the case file to the legal service, which will study it and then return with instructions over whether to initiate criminal proceedings against any individuals or entities.

He said there “may” be criminal charges brought as a result of the investigation, but stressed that “the police cannot prejudge an investigation which has not been completed”.

He also said that “dozens” of statements have been taken so far, and that “many more” will be taken in the coming days, “from local government authorities, government departments, the owners and tenants of the block of flats, and other individuals who had a direct or indirect connection to the tragic incident”.

His statements come after it was announced that nine of the 18 survivors of the collapse are currently being temporarily housed in a hotel, with the Amathus municipality saying it had “intervened immediately to cover their needs”.

It added that it now hopes that the central government will “undertake its responsibilities and show its human face, even at this late hour”.

“These are people who have lost everything – their home, their personal effects, even their money,” it said.

Meanwhile, civil defence said that the costs of temporarily housing the survivors in a hotel is being covered by the state, and categorised as “false” reports that the central government is not assisting them.

It added that the nine people who are not currently being housed in a hotel left of their own volition.

The building partially collapsed shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday, with one dead body being pulled from the rubble at 5.30pm, and another two hours later.

Additionally, three more people were taken by ambulance to hospital, before being discharged.

Marinos Kyriakou, the deputy mayor of the borough of Ayios Athanasios, which covers Yermasoyia, told reporters that the building had previously been deemed unsuitable for human habitation, and that the Limassol district government organisation (EOA) had sent letters to its owners to this end.

He added that similar letters had been sent to the owners by the old Yermasoyia municipality before the 2024 local government reforms.

“I do not know if such a tragic event has ever happened in Cyprus. A building collapses and we have dead people,” he said.