The initial conclusion of the experts: the apartment building evacuated from Gabijos street is safe, neighbors can return home

Vilnius Deputy Mayor V. Benkunskas on Tuesday morning Delphi He said the initial expert examination showed that the residential house on Gabijos Street in Vilnius is safe.

“We have not signed the final report, but the preliminary report says that the house is safe and residents can return to their apartments. Those defects are visually visible, they are not of any kind, or they endanger the structure of the house, which would endanger the collapse of the house. This is the initial conclusion, but now the experts are re-inspecting the entire house. And we hope that this expert opinion is signed before noon. ” Delphi said V. Benkunskas.

He said that if the experts’ conclusion does not change, residents will be able to return home today.

It is better to wait a little longer than to suffer the consequences of a tragedy

Povilas Poderskis, the director of the municipal administration, promised this Tuesday morning that people staying in hotels will be able to stay in them for as long as necessary, although he hopes the situation will be resolved as soon as possible.

In our opinion, a construction expert would be enough to tell us if the house is safe, or the cracks that were seen yesterday in the media, social networks, or if they pose such a threat that the building is no longer suitable for use. . If not, I think residents will be able to come back, if so, then, well, the building will have to be tidied up first. Then it can take a long time, “P. Poderskis told LRT radio.

“That scenario will become clear, I think, in the near future, maybe even today, because the first expert will visit there. But of course the situation itself is so disturbing and it is better to wait a little longer than then to suffer the consequences. of some tragedy, “he added.

According to the head of the administration, the municipality has contracts with hotels for the self-isolation of the population during the pandemic, but this need is not so great now.

“Surely they will be able to stay there as long as it takes, at least until we know what to do next and what to do next. We hope it doesn’t take long, because again, it costs taxpayers money and, in the end, it is not convenient for the residents themselves, ”said P. Poderskis.

The house on Calle Gabijos is currently empty and guarded by the police.

“Now we are trying to count exactly, in fact, those residents who had to live there. We have placed about a dozen in hotels (…) There is nothing left in the house itself, now it is guarded by the police, the store there is also closed ”, said the director of the municipal administration.

The Fire and Rescue Department told BNS Monday night that residents had been evacuated from the building on a street cracked by the wall of an apartment building. A notification was received about Gabijos Street. 30 cracks in the stairwell and some apartments.

According to the local deputy mayor of the capital Valdas Benkunskas, according to BNS, according to preliminary data, about 100 people were evacuated from the apartment building. Podersky told BNS later Monday that the house had a total of 72 apartments, of which “between 100 and 200 inhabitants” had been evacuated.