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Church Tower Collapse in Junín Kills Resident and Exposes Lapses in Heritage Protection

Questions mount over whether the site was formally declared an emergency before the collapse.

Overview

  • One tower of the San Ignacio de Loyola church partially collapsed before dawn on November 3, sending debris into the street and damaging nearby houses.
  • The body of Víctor Josué Alderete Izaguirre was recovered from an adjacent home and transferred to the Junín morgue for a necropsy.
  • Municipal authorities say the council approved an emergency declaration and isolation of the structure on October 29, but other reports say no such measure had been in place.
  • A 17th-century bronze bell was damaged, and the site remains cordoned as Defensa Civil, Serenazgo and municipal teams conduct inspections and assist affected families.
  • The regional culture office says the church lacks National Cultural Heritage status and that budget cuts and scarce staff halted a protective technical file, while civic groups call for urgent restoration.