Ciprian Ciucu: No company appeared at the tenders for the safekeeping of the block in Rahova, affected by the explosion
No company presented itself at the tenders organized by the Capital City Hall for the works to secure the block on Vicina Street, in the Rahova district, affected by the explosion produced on October 17, as a result of which three people died and 15 others were injured, said the General Mayor, Ciprian Ciucu, on Friday, after the General Council meeting.
The mayor says that 3 or 4 such procedures have been organized so far, but without success. Without the security work, people cannot enter the apartments to retrieve their belongings.
“We are on the third or fourth procurement procedure for support works, before the demolition. What is the situation? People said – we want to go back into the houses, that we have valuables, including sentimental ones, our things are left there. The city hall is trying to help them, to enter safely, because neither the ISU nor the mayor undertakes to allow them to use a ladder to their apartment. God forbid! And they can only enter there if work is done to put in safety.
No matter what you see, no builder in Romania wants it. They included the fast-paced, competitive negotiation procedures. I mean face to face. Maybe they think the project is unfeasible or maybe they are afraid”, explained Ciucu.
Demolition, “the faster and cheaper procedure
The general mayor says that if the residents of the block of Rahova agree, a solution to solve the problem is direct demolition.
“From my point of view and I have to tell the people up front, we have the following options, let's stay, repeat the auctions, and they will have to answer the next question, wait until we find someone to put it safely, to be able to enter the houses and take their things or they want the faster and cheaper procedure, this quick demolition procedure, they assume this loss and we demolish directly”, explained Ciucu.
After the demolition, the block will be rebuilt on the same site, says the mayor. “I understand that we, the Capital City Hall, will pay for the demolition and reconstruction,” Ciucu also said.
What happens to the residents of the block
Asked if, until the works are completed, the City Hall will continue to support the affected people with the rent, Ciucu says that the decision will be taken by the General Council.
The City Hall of Sector 5 issued at the beginning of March the building permit for the safety and consolidation works of the block on Vicina Street. According to a press release sent by the local authority, the documentation was quickly analyzed by the specialized apparatus of the mayor of Sector 5, the technical approval being prioritized, to allow rapid intervention on the building.
The works to be started are aimed at consolidating the affected structural elements, ensuring the stability of the building and eliminating any imminent danger for tenants and passers-by, reported the City Hall of Sector 5.
The Rahova explosion
On October 17, an explosion caused by a gas build-up destroyed a block of flats in the Rahova district of Bucharest. Three people died and 13 were injured. The block had 108 apartments and was built in 1981.
Almost 6 months have passed since the explosion, and the area is closed and guarded by the Local Police. The owners no longer entered the houses.
