PP's Sirera alleges withheld Putxet sinkhole details

Daniel Sirera has called for rehousing, full compensation and publication of technical records after further damage delayed some Putxet residents' return until September.

Brandon Watea · 2 Aug 2026 · 2 min read

Daniel Sirera, president of the PP group on Barcelona City Council, has accused Mayor Jaume Collboni and Generalitat president Salvador Illa of minimising the extent of the Putxet sinkhole linked to Metro Line 9 works.

For residents of the affected buildings, the immediate consequence is that access to number 2 on Carrer de Rubinstein remains barred after structural damage and an underground cavity were identified. Their planned return has been postponed until September, according to reporting by Europa Press.

The sinkhole opened on 7 July beside the Line 9 works and led to the evacuation of about 300 residents from eight buildings in El Putxet, in Barcelona's Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district.

PP calls for rehousing and compensation

In a statement on 1 August, Sirera said the appearance of new cracks and a further cavity beneath one of the affected buildings showed that the incident was more serious than public authorities had initially conveyed.

“Every day we learn worse news than the day before. First we were told it was a controlled incident; then came the evacuations; now there is structural damage, a cavity beneath a building and residents who cannot even enter to collect their belongings.”Daniel Sirera, PP group president on Barcelona City Council

Sirera has demanded that the authorities guarantee rehousing for affected families, pay full compensation for damage and publish all documentation concerning the sinkhole and the condition of the buildings.

Eight-metre hole prompted wider evacuation

Initial reports described a sinkhole about eight metres across and four metres deep, affecting buildings on Carrer de Rubinstein, Carrer de Teodora Lamadrid and Carrer de Sant Gervasi de Cassoles. No injuries were reported.

According to Sílvia Paneque, the Minister for Territory, sensors recorded vertical movements of four millimetres between 7am and 8am before technicians and firefighters inspected the area. The safety perimeter was then extended from four to eight buildings.

Sirera has also asked Barcelona City Council to release the technical documentation on the sinkhole and the affected properties.

Reported by Source Text Link, Metrópoli, elmundo.es, Gerard Pruna, europapress.es, redaccio, Agencia EFE, Ferran Dalmau, Edu Gil, Sandra Vicente, Por Marta Sierra Seguir, linkedin.com, Jordi Subirana, CatalunyaPress.es, ABC, Clara Blanchar, elcatalan.es, Europa Press Barcelona.