On Saturday afternoon, two men found themselves trapped beneath rubble after the complete collapse of a prefabricated building in the area once occupied by the former Military Unit in Colón, Matanzas province. Fortunately, both individuals were rescued alive and taken to the hospital, as reported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Center of Colón through the Periódico Girón.
The building came crashing down at 6:30 PM on July 25, burying those inside under the fallen structure.
The victims, aged 28 and 43, were successfully pulled from the debris, which consisted of concrete and prefabricated panels.
According to the risk management agency, the collapse wasn't due to natural deterioration but was the result of an unauthorized demolition: "The incident was caused by a group of people who removed the support points and load-bearing beams, leading the structure to collapse and trapping the two individuals, who were likely engaged in demolition activities without proper authorization or safety measures."
Soon after the accident was reported, the Colón Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, the First Secretary of the Communist Party in Colón, MININT officers, the Red Cross, Civil Defense, a crane from the UEB Camilo Torres, the OBE, and community neighbors rushed to the scene, according to the source.
Images from the site reveal a massive fractured concrete slab, exposed metal rods, scattered debris, and Cuban firefighters working alongside civilians and military personnel to clear the remains of the structure.
The injured were taken to Mario Muñoz Hospital in Colón, where a multidisciplinary team from Public Health conducted further examinations. The CGRRD confirmed that both men are out of danger and only suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Illegal Demolition: A Growing Menace in Cuba
This incident at the former Military Unit isn't an isolated event but rather part of a repeated pattern in Cuba: the clandestine dismantling of abandoned buildings for construction materials. The severe housing crisis—with a shortage of hundreds of thousands of homes—and the extreme scarcity of cement, steel, and other supplies drive many to seek materials through informal channels, despite the deadly risks involved.
In Matanzas province alone, similar incidents have been documented. In May 2026, a man was arrested in Matanzas for removing blocks from a former university site. In June 2025, two individuals were caught stealing metal beams from a solar park under construction in Colón. And in August 2025, a building collapse in Cárdenas left one person injured after systematic theft of beams, windows, and railings progressively weakened the structure.
Colón has also witnessed other collapses in 2026 unrelated to illegal demolitions: the partial collapse of the former El Confite cafeteria on May 30 and another collapse in Matanzas' historic center on July 18, both without injuries and attributed to structural deterioration worsened by rainfall.
Cuba's Unprecedented Housing Crisis
The backdrop of these incidents is an unprecedented housing crisis: the regime itself acknowledged in July 2025 a deficit of over 805,000 homes, with more than 400,000 needing to be built from scratch and nearly another 400,000 requiring urgent rehabilitation.
Understanding the Risks of Illegal Building Demolitions in Cuba
Why are illegal demolitions occurring in Cuba?
Illegal demolitions are happening due to the severe housing crisis in Cuba. With a significant shortage of housing and construction materials, individuals resort to dismantling abandoned structures to obtain these scarce resources.
What are the consequences of unauthorized building demolitions?
Unauthorized demolitions can lead to dangerous collapses, putting lives at risk, as seen in the recent incident in Colón, Matanzas. Additionally, they contribute to further structural deterioration and loss of historical sites.
How is the Cuban government addressing the housing crisis?
The Cuban government has acknowledged the severe housing deficit and the need for massive construction and rehabilitation efforts, but resource scarcity and ineffective policies have hindered progress.