Riviera Maya, Q.R. — An official statement regarding a wooden structure that fell on a Riviera Maya hotel guest has been released. On Sunday, Solidaridad Civil Protection released a briefing after the incident which, according to their statement, happened approximately eight days ago.
The statement was released by Secretaría de Protección Civil, Prevención de Riesgos y Bomberos de Solidaridad (Civil Protection) Sunday afternoon after photos and a video of the collapsed structure began circulating on social media Sunday morning. According to official statements, approximately eight days ago, a wooden pergola collapsed on a guest at the Barceló Riviera Maya Hotel.
That guest, a Riviera Maya tourist, was taken to hospital for injuries sustained. The guest, an adult male, had just begun to walk under the pergola with an umbrella when the heavy wooden structure gave way.
The incident happened in the hotel’s pool area last weekend during heavy rains. The collapse knocked the umbrella from the man’s hand and left him hunched over from the hit of heavy wood. Several other hotel guests, all men from the pool area, rushed to the lounger area to help him.
Regarding the Sunday in-person visit by Civil Protection personnel, the Secretaría de Protección Civil, Prevención de Riesgos y Bomberos de Solidaridad said they were initially denied access to the hotel for an inspection.
Personnel from the operational area along with inspectors, “arrived at the hotel where at first we were denied access to the facilities,” they said.
“After a 20-minute wait, the hotel security assistant reported that the incident had occurred approximately eight days ago, and that the hotel had provided care to the injured tourist, who was no longer staying there.”
“After a dialogue, our team finally managed to access the area, where we observed that the debris had already been removed, and there was no evidence of what was reported in the photos and videos received. However, our staff, as a preventive policy, cordoned off the area to avoid any additional risk.”
In a social media statement repost, Ayuntamiento de Solidaridad (Solidaridad City Hall) said “the Solidaridad City Council informs that today, October 27, 2024, we received a report about the collapse of a structure in the lounger and pool area of the Barceló Riviera Maya Hotel.
“Our Civil Protection units immediately went to the scene, and after a detailed inspection, the area was cordoned off as a preventive measure. Although the incident occurred days ago and the hotel treated the injured tourist, we remain committed to ensuring the safety of everyone.
“Therefore, in coordination with different secretariats, we are working on an inspection schedule to ensure that all tourism service providers comply with regulations and guarantee that events like these are not repeated.
“In this administration, the safety and well-being of everyone is our priority.”
