Six families urgently evacuated from Santa Venera flats after cracks develop

Last updated 5.23pm with latest BCA statement below.

Families were evacuated from two apartment blocks close to an excavation site in Santa Venera on Sunday after the authorities were informed of movement in the building.

The Building and Construction Agency (BCA) said it had ordered the precautionary evacuation while the state of the structure in Quarries Street was checked by architects using crack monitors.

It said that while some residents were later allowed to return home, six families were asked to move to alternative accommodation while their homes were made safe.

BCA CEO Roderick Bonnici said emergency repairs would be carried out to ensure that the building is safe.

Excavation works are being carried out close to, but not adjacent to the building. 

Part of the road near the building was closed by police and Civil Protection Department officials.

It was not immediately clear how many people were evacuated but officials said families had been asked to leave two apartment blocks.

Alarm first raised on January 15

Residents said they first raised the alarm with the BCA on January 15 after they noticed new cracks on their walls. But no action was taken as they were told they were not within a 45 metre radius of the excavation works, and not adjacent to it.   

After some time and multiple complaints, the work site contractor provided them with gauges that measured the cracks.

A gauge given to the residents to measure the cracks opening in their walls.

One of the residents said that as the cracks grew significantly, a police complaint was filed through an architect. It was then that they were evacuated.

The BCA in a statement said that as soon as it was informed of the problem on January 15, it issued a stop-work notice. A meeting was held with the project architect and the architects of third parties about the way forward. One of the precautionary measures was the installation of the crack monitors in order to continuously monitor the situation. 

"Such monitors were vital for today's operation as they indicated the movements in the building," the BCA said. 

One of the evacuated residents, Abigail Mangion, said a small crack appeared some three weeks ago. 

"Within a week-and-a-half it had grown to what it is now," she said.

She was evacuated along with her neighbours.

"One by one we were allowed to go inside and pick up some essentials. We each had 15 minutes" she said.

Another resident, Diane Mangion, said she was returning home, and as she parked, she was told by police that she could not enter the building.   

"They eventually allowed me to go in for a short time to get my six dogs," she said.

One of the residents said he had been told they would be unable to return to their homes for about a week. It is understood that accommodation is being provided by the building site contractor. 

In June last year a multi-storey building in the heart of Paceville collapsed  just hours after 32 student residents were evacuated due to safety concerns. People were later evacuated from nearby buildings while the remaining dangerous parts of the structure were removed.