A 71-year-old man died and a 63-year-old woman was injured after a wall near a modernist site in Barcelona collapsed when a wall that belonged to a nearby boat truck was struck. The incident took place in the Sant Pau modernist district at the junction of Sant Antoni Maria Claret, Via Laiu, and Independence streets, an area known for its historic architecture and busy urban life.
The accident happened at 8:45 in the morning on a Friday, when a Cuban-registered truck transporting medical waste exited the port and approached the area around the Sant Pau Modernist Site. The impact with the wall caused debris to tumble onto the street below, affecting several pedestrians and prompting immediate responses from municipal services. The Barcelona City Council and Hospital de Sant Pau confirmed that emergency teams were deployed to the scene in the wake of the collapse.
One pedestrian, a 71-year-old man, was struck by falling material and subsequently died. The event created a hazardous scene for bystanders and interrupted regular traffic in the vicinity. A second passerby, a 63-year-old woman, sustained injuries but was later stabilized and transported to the Emergency Department at Hospital de Sant Pau for treatment and observation. Hospital officials reported that the injuries were serious but not life-threatening, with rapid medical intervention helping to stabilize the patient.
The vehicle involved in the incident underwent routine checks. Alcohol and drug tests administered to the truck driver returned negative results, indicating no impaired driving at the time of the accident. The investigation now turns to determining the structural cause of the wall collapse and whether the wall played any role in the truck’s trajectory or speed prior to impact.
The Accident Rate Investigation and Prevention Unit (UIPA), in cooperation with the City Guard, the Barcelona fire brigade, the five units of the Medical Emergency System (SEM), and local councilors in the Horta-Guinardó district, have engaged in a coordinated response. Rosa Alarcón, a councilor for the district, emphasized the importance of identifying safety gaps and preventing similar events in the future. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage, witness statements, and the wall’s structural history to piece together the sequence of events and ensure accountability where needed.
Officials have described the incident as a traffic-related fatality. The city is counting it among the eight traffic-related deaths for the year, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in areas where pedestrians and heavy vehicles share crowded urban spaces. Local residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution in the area while authorities complete their inquiries and secure the scene to prevent further harm.
#HospitalSantPau @Laser Serious accident, a wall collapsed in Sant Pau modernist complex, initial reports mention a deceased person and two injured pic.twitter.com/bJeY2AksQG
Juan jose (@sayago999) 26 May 2023
Police and safety investigators are continuing their work, gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses to determine fault and responsibility. The public is advised to follow official updates as authorities release findings from the ongoing inquiry and issue any necessary safety advisories for the area.