Fatal building collapse in Limassol prompts safety crackdown
Two people died following the collapse of an apartment building in the Yermasoyia area of Limassol on Holy Saturday. Investigations by the Limassol Criminal Investigation Department (TAE) are underway, with police questioning EOA officials and property owners, while legal proceedings are expected to follow. Since April 1, 2025, Provincial Self-Government Organizations (EOA) have been responsible for managing dangerous buildings, inheriting a list of 1,287 hazardous structures. Authorities, including Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou, have called for the public disclosure of such dangerous properties to prevent further casualties. Obstacles to addressing the issue include restrictive legislation, slow court-mandated eviction processes, and delays in staffing the relevant departments. Currently, local authorities are aggressively pursuing evacuations for other high-risk buildings, including a complex on Vasileos Georgiou Street, issuing three-day ultimatums to occupants. While some sources estimate thousands of older buildings are at risk, official figures remain fluid as EOA works with the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK) to conduct urgent inspections.