Building Collapse During Demolition: Mayor Points to Company, Supervisor

A building in the Escandón neighborhood of Mexico City collapsed during a demolition process that had been authorized by the local government. Mauricio Tabe, the mayor of Miguel Hidalgo, confirmed that the building, formerly offices of ICA, was undergoing demolition with a valid license issued on July 15, 2026.

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The building has the demolition license that was issued by the mayor's office on July 15, 2026, and it will be the DRO of the work and the construction company itself who will assume civil responsibility and everything related to this. The demolition process should not have failed.

Tabe emphasized that the responsibility for the collapse lies with the construction company and the DRO (Director Responsable de Obra), the architect overseeing the project. He stated that the demolition license was issued by the mayor's office, but the construction firm and the DRO are accountable for civil liability and all related consequences. "The demolition process should not have failed," Tabe remarked.

Initial information suggests that an uprooted tree might have impacted the structure, potentially contributing to the collapse. However, the capital's prosecutor's office will ultimately determine the exact cause. Tabe noted that the DRO is specifically responsible for supervising the demolition to ensure it adheres to established procedures.

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We issued the license as such, the responsibility is assumed by the constructor and the DRO.

Emergency crews are working to mitigate risks in the area to reopen the adjacent Viaducto lateral road. The focus is on securing the site before the investigation into the precise reasons for the collapse during demolition begins.

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The first thing is to mitigate the risks, and then the prosecutor's office must determine 'Why did it collapse during the demolition process?'.