Architect: A third of Bucharest's blocks of flats have facade problems, more accidents can happen

More than a third of the residential blocks in Bucharest are old and have facade problems. This means that parts of the facade of around 3,000 blocks of flats could always fall and hit passers by, said Ştefan Dumitraşcu, the chief architect of the District 3, quoted by Mediafax. His statement came after a woman was injured by falling elements of a block's facade in Iancului Square area of Bucharest. Many Bucharest blocks are 40 to 60 years old and were never revamped, and the architect believes such injuries to passersby could continue. The thermal revamping of blocks will prevent such accidents in the future, but not in an 'immediate and predictable' future, the architect further said. In the Third District, only 500 of the existing 2,250 blocks had their facades revamped via the Government – backed program. The Romanian legislation lacks measures to solve situations like this, for example it does not prevent owners of very old buildings to use them for opening public places, restaurants, bars, even if the house is almost falling. This situation can be often seen in Bucharest's Old Town, the architect concluded. editor@romania-insider.com (photo by Corina Chirileasa for Romania-Insider.com)