Just hours after the tragic event, life continued its course in the place with workers going about their daily tasks.
By Gissel Taveras
El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO.- The issue of road safety and the precautions that construction companies must take in future projects has resurfaced after the terrible accident in the Evaristo Morales sector of the National District, which cost the lives of two people after their vehicle fell into a hole in a building under construction.
Just hours after the unfortunate incident, on Monday afternoon the surroundings appeared normal, while inside the project's foundation four presumed workers were observed, even near the remains of the wrecked car.
According to a sign hanging on the front of the project, the National District City Hall (ADN) through its Urban Planning Directorate, had approved the preliminary design of the construction, even without the proper retaining walls.
In this regard, the president of the ADN risk management commission, Rafael Gutiérrez, stated yesterday in a press release that he will present a draft resolution regarding the status of excavations opened for construction purposes in the capital, in order to determine the safety measures that must be implemented by construction companies with the proper supervision of the council of aldermen, the Mayor's Office and other competent state institutions.
He assured that they will consult with neighborhood associations and civil society organizations that represent the construction sector.
Likewise, the Ministry of Housing, Habitat and Buildings (MIVHED) revealed that to date they have not received an initial inspection request from the license holder for the Evaristo Morales project, but rather that it was in the preliminary stage of an initial inspection.
Expert opinions
Some experts agree that, considering it negligence or disregard on the part of many contractors and private investors regarding safety on construction sites and the protection of third parties, a public call for reflection is necessary.
Although some do not wish to reveal their identity, experts consulted state that the case of the tragedy caused by a vehicle falling into the void is being treated only as a traffic accident (collision) and loss of control of the car.
"However, the construction work must be covered by a third-party liability insurance policy," stressed an industry stakeholder.
Agrga says that "in this case the deep excavation should have been protected with metal barriers or New Jersey-type walls around the entire perimeter and not just by zinc, since the latter only serves for visual purposes, not for safety.".
He adds that MIVHED inspectors must demand compliance with this type of protection and third-party liability insurance.
For his part, Teodoro Tejada, former president of the Dominican College of Engineers, Architects and Surveyors (CODIA), was one of the first to react to the tragedy, revealing that the accident could have been avoided with the establishment of retaining walls.
Furthermore, he said that the incident, in which two people lost their lives, was an act of irresponsibility on the part of the General Directorate of Traffic Safety and Land Transportation (Digesett), the Ministry of Housing, and the municipalities.
Similarly, security expert Amado Arias stated that most construction companies violate Law No. 687 by not using the retaining walls stipulated in the regulations.
He emphasized that "this law establishes a system for developing technical regulations for the preparation and execution of engineering, architecture and related projects.".
According to the regulations, the State must ensure that state institutions with powers in these areas implement a system of technical regulations that guarantee the safety of structures, ecological preservation and other standards relating to transport works and buildings.
Geologist Osiris de León also offered his opinion on the matter, stating: “It is not the magnitude of the impact of the collision, it is the magnitude of the impact of the fall into the pit; if the pit had not been there, it would not have gone beyond a simple collision with a repairable dent.”.
He added that, due to the proliferation of deep excavations in the country, some of which have reached depths of up to 20 meters and others that have remained abandoned for decades, they have asked the authorities, through the media, to set a six-month deadline to withdraw construction permits and force the filling of the resulting holes.
This is with the aim of protecting and safeguarding the lives of citizens in the event of any incident.
Residents' reactions
A common point in the opinions of residents and passersby in the Evaristo Morales sector, specifically at the intersection of Roberto Pastoriza and José Tapia streets, where the incident occurred, is that this area should have better lighting, in addition to implementing speed bumps to prevent these unfortunate events from happening.
“Here we are used to acting after things happen, not before,” says a young local man.
He also mentions that this is not the first time such events have occurred and the authorities do nothing.
The name and status of the construction company in charge of the project are currently unknown, and they have not made any statements about it.
As a result, experts in the field have stressed that the laws must be strictly applied in all construction companies to protect the lives of individuals and that, if this is not the case, those responsible must be held accountable before the law.
