Newsroom
Part of a two-story apartment building collapsed in Germasogeia shortly before 13:30 on Holy Saturday, triggering a major emergency response with reports of trapped individuals and multiple injuries.
Emergency services, including ambulances, the Fire Service, Police, and the Special Disaster Response Unit (EMAK), rushed to the scene, which was immediately cordoned off. Early reports indicated that several people were inside the building at the time of the collapse, raising concerns about individuals trapped under the rubble.
According to initial estimates, the building contained eight to ten apartments. At the time of the incident, five to six people were believed to be present, some in the section that remained intact and others in the portion that collapsed.
Rescue operations continued throughout the afternoon, with crews from EMAK, Civil Defence, the Electricity Authority, local authorities, and Police working together. Specially trained K9 search dogs were also deployed to assist in locating victims.
Authorities faced communication challenges, as the residents are foreign nationals from various third countries, requiring the use of interpreters.
By around 17:30, rescuers located a person in the debris, who was subsequently recovered deceased. Several others were injured in the incident: two individuals were transported by ambulance to Limassol General Hospital, one to a private clinic, while another sought medical care independently.
In a positive development, a dog was rescued from the collapsed structure and safely returned to its owner.
An on-site operations center was established under the command of the Fire Service Chief Fire Officer, who maintained direct communication with the Minister of Justice and Public Order. Senior officials, including the Deputy Commander of Civil Defence and the head of the MMAD unit, were also present.
To support the ongoing response, two civil engineers from the Ministry of Interior were deployed to assess the structural situation and guide further intervention planning.
Investigations into the cause of the collapse are ongoing.
