Police have launched an investigation into the collapse of a residential building in the Potamos Germasogeias area of Limassol that left two people dead and three others injured.
The collapse occurred at around 1:40 p.m. on Saturday when part of a three-storey building gave way. Emergency services rushed to the scene, while rescue teams from the Fire Service, the Emergency Response Unit and Civil Defence conducted search and rescue operations among the debris.
Victims and injuries
Residents were inside the building at the time of the collapse, with several people trapped before being pulled from the rubble.
Three individuals were injured and transported to Limassol General Hospital and a private medical facility. Two remain hospitalised.
A 32-year-old sustained a head laceration, multiple abrasions and a minor intracranial haemorrhage. A 29-year-old suffered abrasions to the limbs and a head haematoma. A third injured person, also aged 32, received first aid and was later discharged.
Later in the afternoon, rescue teams recovered the bodies of two individuals from the debris. Authorities have not yet officially confirmed their identities.
Criminal investigation launched
Police said a criminal investigation team was appointed immediately after the incident to examine the circumstances of the collapse and determine whether any offences were committed.
Investigators are collecting statements from all parties involved and are working with relevant authorities. The case will be submitted to the Law Office once the investigation is completed.
Building had been declared unsafe
Yiannis Tsouloftas, President of the Limassol District Local Government Organisation, said the building had been officially classified as dangerous more than a month before the collapse.
According to Tsouloftas, the structure was inspected on February 19, 2026, and formally declared unsafe on March 10.
Registered letters were sent on March 26 to all owners and the building’s management committee instructing them to evacuate the property and carry out repairs within three months.
“We informed them that the building had to be evacuated and repaired,” Tsouloftas said, noting that no action had been taken before the collapse.
Concerns over dangerous buildings
Following the rescue operation, the Emergency Response Unit handed over the site to the Limassol District Local Government Organisation to address remaining structural risks.
Tsouloftas said hundreds of dangerous buildings have been recorded across Limassol and stressed the need to accelerate inspections since responsibility for such cases was transferred to district authorities in April 2025.
He also pointed to gaps in the legal framework, stating that local authorities lack powers to enforce immediate evacuations, disconnect utilities or intervene directly in hazardous buildings.
District organisations have proposed legislative changes that would allow authorities to seal unsafe buildings, cut off electricity and water, impose charges on properties to fund repairs and criminalise the rental of dangerous structures.
Police investigations into the collapse are ongoing, and legal proceedings may follow if liability is established.