A campaign launched by the Larnaca District Organisation of Local Government for visual inspections of buildings that have been left to deteriorate, are in poor structural condition and are considered dangerous is in full progress. A mud‑brick house in Chrysopolitissa that had partially collapsed has already been demolished, while the demolition of two more buildings in similar condition in the Stavrodromiou area is scheduled for this week. The local EOAL announced that the Madona Court apartment building in the Agios Nikolaos area (photo) has been vacated, while the organisation has initiated legal action to reclaim the site in order to seal the building. EOAL made it clear that repairing the apartment block is the responsibility of the owners, who face administrative fines if they do not act immediately. A second apartment building in the Chrysopolitissa area is also under notification to owners. Owners have been given a one‑week deadline to appoint consultants and proceed with works to eliminate the danger. The same approach is expected to be followed for the 35 buildings (apartment blocks and houses) in the city of Larnaca that have been deemed potentially dangerous. That is, time will be given to owners to appoint consultants who will determine the necessary corrective works.
In the Filanta apartment building, where the recent tragedy occurred involving a foreign national who lost his life after jumping from a balcony to avoid a police check, a process is underway to contact the owners of the 79 apartments in the building so that repair works can begin as soon as possible.
Two axes
The EOAL strategy regarding the management of dangerous buildings was outlined at a broad meeting yesterday, during which the municipality, Civil Defence and Social Welfare Services were informed of the procedure to be followed from now on, which will move along two axes. The first axis is the activation of evacuation procedures in buildings deemed unsafe, and the second is the granting of a deadline to owners of lower‑risk potentially dangerous buildings to begin repair procedures.
EOAL will grant a one‑week deadline to owners, who bear exclusive responsibility for the structural and building adequacy of properties, so that they present agreements with consultants to prepare restoration studies. In case of non‑compliance, they will be subject to hefty administrative fines.
