Complaint filed over Putxet metro sinkhole
The president of the People's Party (PP) in Barcelona, Daniel Sirera, has filed a formal complaint with the Barcelona Prosecutor's Office calling for an investigation into the collapse on Line L9 in Putxet on 7 July 2026. The incident created a nine-metre-wide sinkhole that engulfed part of a pizzeria on Carrer de Teodora Lamadrid and forced the evacuation of 300 residents from eight buildings, according to reporting by elmundo.es. Sirera's complaint seeks clarification on how the Barcelona City Council managed prior warnings about structural risks. A resident had previously alerted local authorities to cracks and a prior subsidence on Carrer de Sant Gervasi de Cassoles, linking them to the passage of the tunnel boring machine. The district councillor for Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Maria Eugènia Gay, responded that the situation was "reviewed and under control."
Residents still displaced, businesses shuttered
Three months on, residents of three buildings are still unable to return to their homes, with some not expected back until 2027. Around half of the affected commercial premises remain closed, without clear timelines for reopening. Legal representatives of the affected residents, including lawyer Carmen Pérez Pozo of Grupo Pérez-Pozo, have described rising frustration. "The mood is very tense. People need answers," said Pérez Pozo, who leads the residents' platform. "The uncertainty, not knowing the causes or when they can return, is breaking their daily lives."
We cannot settle for generic explanations or prolong the suffering of residents and shopkeepers.
Sirera stated: "We cannot settle for generic explanations or prolong the suffering of residents and shopkeepers." He accused the municipal government of abandoning those affected and reiterated demands for transparency, safety, and accountability.
Criminal accountability under review
The PP is urging prosecutors to determine whether any actions or omissions by city officials could have criminal relevance. Sirera emphasized the need to establish whether warning signs were properly addressed and whether correct procedures were followed. In response to the ongoing crisis, the City Council has announced financial aid for affected businesses, though details on disbursement have not yet been made public. Meanwhile, the residents' platform has filed a joint civil liability claim against the Generalitat through administrative channels, aiming to negotiate compensation without immediate litigation.
Reported by beteve.cat, elmundo.es, betevé.
