PALMA
A 60-YEAR-OLD woman and her 61-year-old husband were injured yesterday morning when part of a false ceiling at their home in El Terreno collapsed, crushing them underneath.
According to emergency service sources, the couple were painting their home in calle Ramon Servera Moya when the accident happened.
It appears that the couple, about to paint the ceiling, removed a light which brought the false ceiling down on top of them.
Emergency service sources said that the couple were extremely lucky because miraculously most of the falling debris missed them both.
Nevertheless, the couple suffered considerable multiple injuries and they were both taken to hospital.
Initially, the accident caused widespread panic in the neighbourhood as news quickly spread that a ceiling had collapsed trapping people underneath.
Initially they told us that a number of people had been trapped under a collapsed ceiling. Then we began to hear all the sirens and the police and ambulance began arriving at the scene. It was pretty frightening, one neighbour said. Fortunately the scene was not as dramatic as feared by the locals and the emergency services.
Both of the victims were found conscious although complaining of severe pain.
National and Local Police units cordoned off the area so that the emergency services and paramedics could handle the situation and treat the two victims at the scene.
It transpired that the 61-year-old husband had suffered injuries to his head and back. Before being taken to hospital a special support was attached to his back to protect his spine.
His wife's condition was apparently slightly more optimistic having only suffered a few blows to the head.
Both spent yesterday morning undergoing exhaustive medical examinations in hospital.
Members of the Palma fire brigade later inspected the second-floor apartment's ceilings and walls to make sure it was structurally sound and that there was no further threat of any more incidents. The building was apparently sound.
As scores of worried neighbours gathered to watch what was going on one said that it is high time that the city council takes action in the area because there are a lot of old and crumbling buildings which are in need of urgent attention.