Why the 500-year-old tower of the Reformed Church in Cehu Silvaniei collapsed: “The bells produced constant vibrations”
The collapse of the tower of the Reformed Church in Cehu Silvaniei, a historical monument over 500 years old, reveals the vulnerability of heritage buildings in Romania. The place of worship is a historical monument of group A, of national importance, and is located right in the center of the city, in a heavily trafficked area, where the tragedy could have had much more serious consequences.
The tower of the Reformed Church in Cehu Silvaniei collapsed PHOTO: Hoinar prin Sălaj/FB
The incident took place on Tuesday evening, a little after 18:00, when the almost 40-meter tower collapsed along with the spire and the two massive bells, which weighed several hundred kilograms each. Large pieces of masonry landed on the sidewalk and roadway, damaged a car and injured a policewoman on her way to work. The woman was transported to the hospital, being out of any danger.
The tower collapsed into the street PHOTO: FB
According to the specialists involved in the rehabilitation project, the main cause of the collapse was the moisture accumulated in the walls, favored by a very thick layer of cement plaster applied on the outside decades ago.
“It maintained a very high humidity inside the wall, which led to maceration of the mortar”said Dorotya Mocoi, representative of the design firm, for protv news.
After removing the plaster, workers noticed serious cracks in the walls, especially in the spire area. Specialists say that the structure was already compromised, and the tower was basically resting on a fragile balance.
The vibrations of the bells aggravated the degradation
The mayor of Cehu Silvaniei, Ciprian Aurelian Antișan, said that the two heavy bells also contributed to the instability of the tower.
“The bells vibrated constantly. In a structure weakened by moisture and time, these vibrations accelerated the decay. We don't know how long it would have stood”, said the mayor Ciprian Aurelian Antișan.
“The loss is a huge one for the whole community. The church tower, which is over 500 years old, was a heritage monument of inestimable value, an identity landmark and a witness to history, faith and the generations that lived in these lands. We express our deep regret for this painful loss of local heritage and we stand with the reformed community, the injured person and all the citizens of the city who feel this moment as a wound in our common history. (…) Cehu Silvaniei has been through a lot over the centuries. We will remain united now, with respect for the past and with responsibility for what we will build further.”the mayor also sent.
Workers working on the consolidation noticed the first serious cracks just days before the collapse. They intended to install support beams, but the event occurred before safety measures were put in place.
The Reformed Church of Cehu Silvaniei is a historical monument of group A, of national importance, and it is located right in the center of the city, in a highly trafficked area. The rehabilitation project, worth approximately 10 million lei, is financed by the Ministry of Culture and has been running since October last year.
The police opened a criminal case for culpable destruction and non-compliance with occupational health and safety regulations.
The inquiry will determine whether there was negligence in the management of the works and whether the collapse could have been prevented.
