Three injured and four missing after a building under construction collapsed in central Madrid.

MadridA building under construction partially collapsed this afternoon in central Madrid, leaving at least three people injured and another four missing. Drones and dog patrols are searching for the wreckage. The incident occurred in a building undergoing renovation located on Hileras Street, which runs from Plaza de la Ópera to Puerta del Sol. One of the injured was taken to the hospital with a broken leg, while the other two received psychological support for the crash.

The building that collapsed had been abandoned and was currently being renovated to make way for a four-star hotel. As the building's floor collapsed, several floors collapsed, creating a massive dust storm that flooded the surrounding streets. The area was immediately cordoned off, and technical services are currently assessing the extent to which the accident could have affected adjacent buildings. In fact, there is still a risk that the damaged structure itself could completely collapse. Sixteen fire crews from the Madrid City Council Fire Department are working at the scene, and a field hospital has been set up.

The three injured are construction workers who were caught inside the building by the collapse and who reported that other colleagues were missing. According to the police, there were seven workers present at the time of the accident, four of whom are missing. One worker explained to the media that the building's façade was not affected by the collapse. Although it was his first day working on this project, this worker also specified that more than one company was working on the renovation this morning. He doesn't miss any of his colleagues.

The witnesses

Milagros owns a hair salon right across from the building that collapsed and is one of the neighbors who witnessed the events. "There was a horrible bang and the windows shattered. I saw sand falling from top to bottom, and suddenly, white powder," she explains. Emergency personnel and municipal police immediately arrived and evacuated the building due to the risk of the building collapsing. According to this neighbor, the building was supposed to house a four-star hotel. Construction work had begun six months earlier and was expected to last two years.

Lucas, who lives on Arenal Street, a street perpendicular to Hileras, can't get through because of the police cordon and he doesn't have any identification. "I have to wait, I understand," he resigns himself.

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