Two killed, two missing after hotel construction site collapse in central Madrid

MADRID, Oct 8 — Spanish emergency services have recovered two bodies from the rubble after a building under construction collapsed in central Madrid yesterday, leaving two others missing and several workers injured, authorities said.

Firefighters continued working at the site near the popular Plaza Mayor following “the collapse of several floor slabs,” emergency services said on X.

Francisco Martín Aguirre, the central government’s top representative in the Madrid region, told reporters that the collapse caused multiple floors to cave in down to the basement.

“The damage there is extensive, and authorities are assessing the potential impact on nearby buildings,” he said.

Madrid’s municipal police told AFP that neighbouring structures were being evacuated as a precaution.

Casualties and Injuries

The total number of injuries remains unclear. Martín Aguirre initially estimated around 10 people were injured, mostly with minor wounds. However, Madrid deputy mayor Inmaculada Sanz later reported that three workers were injured, none seriously.

Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida confirmed on X that one of the injured workers had been hospitalised.

Authorities initially said four people — three men and one woman — were missing. Later in the evening, Martínez-Almeida confirmed that two of the missing had been found dead, while search operations for the remaining two continued.

Scene of the Incident

Police cordoned off the area using drones as ambulances and patrol cars filled the street, with dozens of bystanders watching the rescue efforts, AFP journalists reported.

Milagros García Benito, who works at a nearby hair salon, said she heard “a huge explosion that shattered all the glass.”

“There was so much white dust you couldn’t see anything. Firefighters and police arrived very quickly,” she said.

Sanz noted that “the amount of debris is considerable,” warning that rescue and recovery operations could take “not just hours but possibly several days.”

What was the Building?

The structure, a former office block, was being converted into a hotel. According to Madrid City Hall’s website, renovation permits were approved in February.

Land registry records show the building had six storeys, covering a total area of about 6,745 square metres (nearly 73,000 square feet). — AFP