Cerqueda points to possible embers as cause of La Querola fire and expects Cevalls’ insurance to cover restoration
Andorran construction company Cevalls will manage the complex’s restoration
Smouldering embers behind La Querola are one possible explanation for how the fire started, developer Jordi Cerqueda has told RTVA.
While investigators work to establish what happened, the developers are preparing to restore the complex. According to Cerqueda, the work is expected to be covered by construction company Cevalls’ insurance.
The developer stressed that it is still too early to determine the cause of the blaze. With that caveat, he suggested that a small fire in the wooded area behind the complex may have generated heat that eventually developed into flames.
This account is not an official finding of the investigation, which police, firefighters and the Department of Industry have been conducting since 24 September.
Cerqueda estimates that investigators could finish their work within two or three weeks, although this is the developer’s own forecast. Insurance assessors would then carry out their assessments.
Insurance coverage for the restoration
According to Cerqueda, Andorran construction company Cevalls will manage the restoration of the project, with its insurance expected to cover the costs of rehabilitating the buildings.
The developers also have their own insurance policy. However, he explained that it has a limited role at the current stage of construction.
Cerqueda was keen to distinguish these insurance arrangements from any attribution of blame to the contractor. He described the fire as a tragic misfortune and highlighted the close relationship the developers maintain with the Armengol brothers’ company.
Fire detection systems were disconnected
The developer also explained that the complex had fire and smoke detectors, along with an external alarm system linked to a security company, but that they were disconnected because the buildings were still under construction and not yet operational.
According to Cerqueda, safety and evacuation protocols had been followed. He also raised the possibility of introducing specific protection requirements for buildings in their final six months of construction.
The developers maintain that only two buildings were damaged and that a quarter of the homes were affected. They believe the predominantly concrete and iron structure will allow the entire project to be restored while preserving the quality of the original finishes.
Their aim is to complete the restoration in approximately 18 months, although Cerqueda acknowledged that one of the two buildings could take longer. Communal areas and access routes could be operational sooner.
Before the fire, 40% of the properties were already subject to purchase commitments or sale contracts. The developers say they remain in contact with buyers and plan to meet engineers and architects next week to prepare for the restoration work.
Comments
“Un caliu al bosc” i a otra…
“Un caliu al bosc” i a otra cosa… hombre, habrá que investigar un poquito más 😅
Una assegurança que cobreix…
Una assegurança que cobreix milions i nosaltres hem de creure que tot és mala sort? 🤨
A mi el que em grinyola és…
A mi el que em grinyola és que ja estiguem parlant de recuperar el projecte en 18 mesos i de quina assegurança pagarà la rehabilitació quan encara s’està investigant l’origen de l’incendi. Potser és tot perfectament normal i l’assegurança acabarà cobrint-ho sense cap problema, però jo abans de donar res per fet voldria saber exactament què va passar. Perquè si els sistemes de detecció estaven desconnectats, encara que fos perquè l’edifici estava en obres, aquesta dada no és precisament menor. I després tenim un possible caliu al bosc com a hipòtesi. Doncs perfecte: que ho investiguin, que mirin proves, perímetre, instal·lacions, testimonis i el que calgui. Però que no ens quedem amb una explicació ràpida perquè és la més còmoda. No dic que hi hagi hagut res estrany, però tampoc veig per què hauríem de descartar preguntes incòmodes. Quan hi ha edificis, assegurances i milions d’euros en joc, jo vull transparència absoluta.
Primer saber què va passar i…
Primer saber què va passar i després ja parlem de qui paga la festa
Perdoneu però aquí hi ha massa coses que em fan aixecar una cella. Primer un incendi, després resulta que els detectors i l’alarma estaven desconnectats perquè l’obra encara estava en construcció, després no se sap exactament d’on surt el foc però ja apareix la hipòtesi del “caliu” a la zona del bosc i, casualment, ja tenim damunt la taula que l’assegurança de la constructora hauria de cobrir la rehabilitació. Jo no estic dient que hi hagi cap complot ni que ningú hagi fet res expressament, perquè això ho haurà de determinar la investigació. Però sincerament, si ets un ciutadà normal i llegeixes tot això seguit, és normal que et preguntis com encaixen totes les peces