Three men detained by Guardia Civil spend time in Palma cells

Two architects and the site foreman have been arrested in connection with the Hotel Son Moll collapse which killed four people earlier this week. The charges relate to the fact that no licences for the work had been obtained. Two businessmen, thought to be developers, have also been declared suspects in the case, reports the Diario de Mallorca.

One of the architects who gave evidence in court on Tuesday argued that the lack of a reform licence merely amounted to an administrative oversight and had nothing to do with safety. He also was unwilling to speculate whether the heavy rain had anything to do with the disaster, saying that the survey report would reveal the cause.

A bricklayer, who was working at the hotel at the time of the accident said it was “like a bomb going off”. Experienced construction worker Moises Peret Labrador, 61, was moving a load of tiles when the disaster occurred and, within moments, found himself buried in debris. Realising that he had not been seriously injured his thoughts turned to his 34 year-old son, who was also working on the site. “I heard a voice crying ‘Dad!’ and then I knew he was alive,” recounted Labrador. “But then we realised what had happened and began to mourn for the others.”

Labrador was taken to Manacor hospital in a state of shock but X rays revealed that he had not suffered any broken bones. Speaking of his dead colleagues he said “It could have been me. It was just chance that saved me.” (JH)