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Image source, Reuters
“The collapse was fundamentally caused by errors in its construction.”
This was the conclusion reached by an investigation into the incident on line 12 of the Mexico City Metro that occurred on the night of May 3, when a section of the elevated viaduct collapsed while a train was circulating.
The fault left 26 people dead and almost a hundred more wounds.
At the conclusion of its expert report, the Attorney General’s Office (FGJ) of Mexico City announced a complaint against former officials in charge of construction.
These are 10 people involved in the construction of line 12 who are accused of crimes of “homicide, injury and damage to property against natural persons”.
The main flaws, according to the official investigation, were the “deficiencies” in the placement of bolts and the design of the structure in the section located between the Olivos and San Lorenzo stations.
The structure of the viaduct collapsed in one of its elevated sections, which since its inauguration have been the victim of constant repairs due to its damage.
The FGJ’s expert opinion is independent of another investigation – which yielded similar conclusions – commissioned by the government of Mexico City to the Norwegian company DNV.
Who are the accused?
Following the FGJ’s announcement about the accusation of former officials, the office of lawyer Gabriel Regino reported on Monday that the former officials – several of them his clients – were notified of the legal action against them.
It’s my father Enrique Horcasitas, the former director of the Metro Project, the highest person responsible for the construction of line 12.
Also accused are Moisés Guerrero, construction director; Juan Antonio Giral, director of civil works design; Héctor Rosas, deputy director of civil works; Enrique Baker, deputy director of structures and engineering; Juan Carlos Ramos, construction site resident.
In addition, Guillermo Alcázar, director responsible for the work; Ricardo Pérez, structural safety supervisor; Fernando Amezcua, works supervision director and Fernando Ramiro, works supervision coordinator.
The chancellor Marcelo Ebrard, who was mayor of Mexico City (2006-2012) when line 12 was built and inaugurated, is not among those charged.
Image source, Reuters
Under the Ebrard government in Mexico City, Line 12 was built and inaugurated.
When questioned about it on Tuesday, Ebrard said: “If no bolts were put in, or a weld was bad, I think [para] it is very difficult for the head of government to supervise that personally. For this, a very large body was created, which was the Metro Project. “
“I did what I had to do. Now the defendants will have to present their defense.”
Similarly, attorney Regino said his clients are innocent.
What did the investigation conclude?
Last May 3, a train that was circulating on the elevated viaduct of line 12, in the southeast of Mexico City, partially collapsed after the failure of the track structure.
“The collapse was fundamentally caused by the errors in its construction, which contributed to significantly accelerate the cinematic of the collapse, “said Ulises Lara López, spokesman for the FGJ.
There was a “fatal mistake” in the “cadence, bad location and bad bolt welding“that supported the steel structure with the concrete slab on which the tracks rested.
Image source, Getty Images
The tragedy was the largest in the capital since the earthquake of September 19, 2017.
According to the investigation, this problem could not have been detected after construction, since the bolts “are not visible because they are inside the structure.”
The attorney general Ernestina Godoy said that for this reason the criminal charges are for the crimes of “homicide, injury and damage to property against natural persons.”
He also said that will look for reparations agreements between those involved and the victims to avoid a lengthy trial.
“We are promoting this mechanism before a complicated and long criminal process begins before the judges, which it could take years and thereby generating high emotional and economic costs for the victims of the collapse, “Godoy said.
Grupo Carso, an entrepreneur’s construction company Carlos Slim, is one of the private companies involved in the construction of the elevated section of line 12.
The tycoon has said that bear the cost of repairs without charge to the public purse.
Without naming Grupo Carso, Godoy said he expects companies to contribute to a fund to support the people injured in the accident and the families of the fatalities.
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Eddie is an Australian news reporter with over 9 years in the industry and has published on Forbes and tech crunch.