Redaccion
El gimnasio Espagat claims that there was already a leak on Wednesday
Part of the false ceiling of the galleries of Fernando III O Santo, known for housing some of the city’s main gyms, collapsed during the early hours of Thursday, causing the entrance to flood. However, no personal injuries were reported.
The incident, confirmed by the Santiago Fire Department, occurred around 01:20 in the morning, when they received a report of a broken pipe that led to the collapse of part of the false ceiling. Upon their arrival, the Local Police had already shut off the water.
According to a worker from Tempos e Menssana – a sports activities center – interviewed by Europa Press, this incident caused flooding inside the premises, «which is quite long,» with water reaching «the rooms at the back.»
They also mentioned that the water came with a kind of mud that forced them to spend about five hours mopping and draining the water with the help of some workers who joined in. Nevertheless, they anticipate that the floor will need to be repaired in the coming weeks.
Additionally, the Espagat gym reported that the water reached the basement of the premises, even reaching the pool, so they had to spend «the entire workday» draining it. Furthermore, they noted that they had detected a leak in the ceiling and the lifting of a part of the panel the previous Wednesday, so they placed a bucket of water as a precaution.
Since the incident occurred in the early hours, no individuals were harmed. In this regard, the receptionist at Espagat expressed relief, stating, «Thank goodness,» as if it had happened at 6:00 in the evening, that area «is full of children.»
Currently, the Synergym gym has had its water supply cut off due to the incident, as when they turned it back on, water started to leak again, wetting the passageway.
The administrators of the galleries, consulted by Europa Press, stated that they were unaware of this incident.
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