Twenty-seven people evacuated from a block of flats in Rojales, in the Alicante province, still do not know when they will be able to return to their homes. The evacuation took place earlier this week after a pillar broke while renovation work was being carried out on the building, according to the town’s mayor, Antonio Pérez.

The four-storey building contains ten flats and ground-floor commercial premises. It has since been shored up, and residents were briefly allowed back to collect belongings once engineers confirmed there was no immediate risk of collapse. However, they cannot live there again until full repairs are completed.

Those affected have been temporarily rehoused in two hotels in the town, with Rojales council covering the initial accommodation costs. The mayor said work is under way to redesign the repair project to guarantee the building’s safety and stability. Once the updated plans are approved, construction work can begin immediately, while the council looks to minimise disruption for the displaced residents.