Another Rooftop Swimming Pool Collapse

The spate of roof terraces collapsing due to illegal rooftop swimming pools continues with another building another collapse.

The collapse took place on a roof terrace above the El Trebol bar in the municipality of Terrassa in the autonomous community of Catalonia in north-eastern Spain when only the unnamed owner was inside the establishment at 7 am on Saturday,

The images show how the El Bar Trebol was filled with debris after the terrace and pool, which was not owned by the bar, collapsed inside.

According to local news outlet La Torre, the local police confirmed that the bar owner suffered injuries to one of his legs in the accident but no other injuries were reported.

The local police, firefighters and an ambulance of the local emergency service (SEM) attended the emergency.

Local councillor Carles Caballero wrote on Twitter: “The structures of buildings are not prepared to stand the weight of water and a licence is needed to set up a swimming pool.”

The General Board of Technical Architecture of Spain warned recently residents about the danger of placing swimming pools on roof terraces some weeks ago, with fears of an increase in incidents during Spain’s coronavirus lockdown.

The experts said that terraces can typically support 200 kilogrammes (441 lbs) per square metre (10.7 square feet), the same weight as a swimming pool with 20 centimetres (8 inches) of water in it.

But adult swimming pools can have between 70 or 80 centimetres (28-31 inches) of water, increasing their pressure to 700 or 800 kilogrammes (1,543 lbs – 1,763 lbs) per square metre.

Local residents reportedly need a licence from the local city council to set up a swimming pool on a rooftop although it is unclear if the owners of the property above the bar had the correct permission.

It is also unclear if the owner of the bar will take legal action against the owners of the property where the swimming pool was set up.