A neighbor explained that the three metal beams holding up the roof were rotten from moisture.
14ymedio, Havana, September 28, 2025 – A collapse that occurred this Sunday in Old Havana claimed the life of an elderly man. The partial collapse of a building, located at 466 Sol Street between Egido and Villegas Streets, occurred around 9:00 a.m., reported the Municipal Administration Council.
According to the official statement, the building “was not in good condition for several years” and people were staying inside “illegally, and were often offered transfers to other locations, which they did not accept in a timely manner.” The statement added: “We regret the loss of one person killed in the incident. The local authorities responded immediately and are assisting the remaining victims.”
The debris left by the collapse was still blocking part of the building’s entrance this afternoon, according to 14ymedio. A police officer guarding the area to prevent entry told this newspaper that “things are still falling.” A neighbor explained that “the three metal beams holding the roof were rotten from moisture,” which contributed to its fall. The wooden posts supporting the roof failed to stop the structure from collapsing.
The tragedy occurred just hours after a balcony collapsed on San Lázaro Street on Saturday, injuring a passerby.
The tragedy occurred just hours after a balcony collapsed on San Lázaro Street, between Hospital and Espada Streets in Centro Habana, injuring a passerby on Saturday. “The girl was about 40 years old. A piece of the balcony came loose, and a rock fell on her, knocking her to the edge of the sidewalk,” a neighborhood resident told 14ymedio. The resident claims debris still remains on the road.
San Lázaro Avenue, like so many others, reflects the deterioration of the capital: neglect, salt water, and a lack of resources have turned its buildings into examples of architecture that is practically beyond repair. Outside the restored historic center and far from the more modern Vedado neighborhood, the buildings that line the waterfront are on the verge of collapse.
On social media, residents near the scene reported Saturday’s collapse, generating strong criticism of the government for its lack of investment in large areas of the Cuban capital. “At any moment, Old Havana will be left like a desert, nothing but dust, except for the Capitol and the hotels, which are the only things they repair annually,” wrote one internet user.
Other comments described what happened as part of a growing number of daily problems in the capital. “The situation we have here in Havana is deplorable. The filth eating away at us everywhere, the desperation, the lack of electricity, the hunger, the misery, people dying, children without food, and the elderly yearning for a little attention and help.”
These are not isolated incidents. Last August, an elderly woman was injured after a building partially collapsed on Reina Street, between Manrique and San Nicolás, also in Central Havana. Some 15 families lost their homes and spent the night on the streets, surrounded by furniture and appliances. One of those affected told this newspaper that on that first day, “no one came” from the government to inquire about her situation.
Weeks earlier, another collapse at the corner of San Rafael and Galiano streets killed a worker at Café Boulevard, located on the ground floor of the building. The collapse of part of the roof trapped several people. Neighbors explained that the upper floor houses a boarding house with serious infrastructure and overcrowding problems. The collapse buried one of the employees under the rubble. The entire block where the building stands shows alarming signs of deterioration and neglect.
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