Partial Collapse of Historic Warsaw Building Near Polish Parliament

The news in Polish

1. zawalić się
   upadek czegoś ciężkiego i dużego, na przykład budynku, który przestaje stać ↩︎
2. kamienica  (f.)
   duży budynek mieszkalny, zazwyczaj w mieście, o solidnej konstrukcji ↩︎
3. ucierpieć
   doznać szkody lub krzywdy fizycznej lub psychicznej ↩︎
4. straż  (f.)
   organizacja lub zespół odpowiedzialny za ochronę, zwykle przeciwpożarową ↩︎
5. zabezpieczyć
   uczynić coś bezpiecznym lub chronionym przed szkodą lub niebezpieczeństwem ↩︎
6. właściciel  (m.)
   osoba, która posiada coś na własność ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Why did no one get hurt when the building partially collapsed?

Question 2: What are the authorities asking the owners to do?

Vocabulary

Polish	English
zawalić się	collapse
kamienica  (f.)	tenement
ucierpieć	suffer
straż  (f.)	fire brigade
zabezpieczyć	secure
właściciel  (m.)	owner

Read the full story

A partial collapse of a historic tenement building at Górnośląska Street, close to the Polish Parliament in Warsaw, occurred on June 16th. Despite the dramatic incident, no injuries were reported as the building was already unoccupied.

Emergency services swiftly responded to the site after receiving reports from neighbours who heard a loud noise emanating from the old structure. The site was secured by nine fire unit teams, alongside police and building inspectors, amid concerns about the building’s stability.

Traffic was diverted along alternative routes to avoid disruption following the closure of the street. Local transport was rerouted, impacting public transportation schedules in the city. The building, which is on the register of historical monuments, has been identified as a subject of ongoing legal and maintenance issues due to its ownership by three private entities.

The collapse highlights ongoing concerns from neighbours, who have frequently expressed fears over the deterioration of the building. It has been reported that previous water damage due to inadequate maintenance has affected surrounding structures. Residents have notified authorities frequently about these concerns, but little action was reportedly taken to prevent the structural decline.

In 2022, the Mazowiecki Provincial Conservator of Monuments issued a directive requiring urgent repairs to prevent further degradation. These measures, however, were not executed, allegedly due to disagreements among the building’s owners.

The situation is complicated by the building’s legal status, with its historical conservation issues entangled in ownership disputes, limiting the government’s interventions. The local district office has stated its limited capacity to act, given that the property is privately owned.

Officials and locals alike now call for urgent action to ensure safety and preserve the building’s historical integrity, emphasising the need for collaborative responsibility among the building’s owners and relevant authorities.

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