Experts: The roof cornices of the Olomouc Town Hall are dangerous

Olomouc - The roof cornices on the Olomouc Town Hall building are not safe, and there is a risk of them falling to the ground. This was discovered by experts who initiated a planned inspection of buildings in the historic center of Olomouc after a recent collapse of part of the gable wall of the nearby Spea polyclinic. Officials have therefore decided to prohibit people from accessing several areas near the town hall building. A safety zone will be marked with railing.
     "The result of the preventive inspection by experts classified the town hall building among those which do not have cornices in a completely safe condition. The city leadership has therefore decided to respond immediately and take urgent preventive security measures. These involve temporarily designating areas where public access will be prohibited for safety reasons," said Radka Štědrá, spokesperson for the Olomouc City Hall, to ČTK today. This afternoon, a section of the building adjacent to the astronomical clock was already provisionally cordoned off with tape.
     The town hall has been preparing to replace the roofing for some time, and construction experts and statics will evaluate alternatives for repairing the cornices on the heritage-protected town hall building, according to Štědrá. "A similar problem may exist on more buildings in the city center, most of which have private owners. We can now determine what technologies and materials will be allowed for its removal," said Mayor Martin Novotný (ODS) to ČTK today.
     He recalled that after the collapse of the gable wall of the polyclinic, the town hall decided to convene a meeting through the building authority where city officials, experts, and preservationists will discuss the possibilities of similar repairs for buildings in the historic center of Olomouc.
     The collapse of part of the gable wall of the Spea polyclinic, in which no pedestrians were injured, is the second similar accident in the past year. A few dozen meters away, in October last year, a seventy-eight-year-old woman died under the debris of a collapsed wall.
     Therefore, at the end of October, Olomouc councilors decided that the city hall would invest up to 1.4 million crowns this year and next year to assess the stability of roof cornices and parapets on buildings in the city’s heritage reserve. The first phase of inspections paid for by the city includes 123 buildings.
     In addition to the financial contribution for the static assessment, the councilors also approved several other safety measures. For instance, the building authority will require a technical assessment, including a static review, before issuing approval for the repair of facades or roofs in case of any doubts about the stability of cornices and parapets.
     The police are investigating the collapse of part of the polyclinic's gable wall on suspicion of a criminal act of endangering the public due to negligence. The investigation may take weeks to months, as expert reports must be prepared. After last year's tragedy, the city ordered inspections of other buildings in the center. At that time, building authority inspectors found defects in nearly 50 buildings in the city's heritage reserve. They discovered poor facades, cracks, loose roof tiles, and missing masonry. Some owners promptly remedied the defects.