Tenerife ruin death sparks parent calls for political action

The most tragic incident at the Añaza ruins on Tenerife was, without doubt, the death of a 13-year-old girl last December. The ruins have stood on the coast for 52 years. Construction hoardings are intended to prevent visitors from climbing, but some ignore any barriers. Just like the girl who fell to her death whilst playing. A 27-year-old man recently met a similar fate.

On 18 July, the most recent fatality to date occurred at the ruins. The young man also fell and died of his serious injuries at the scene of the accident. His mother has now spoken to the media. She is calling for the ruins to be demolished at long last.

Following the young man’s death, his personal belongings were left on the roof of the ruin. It was deemed too dangerous to retrieve them. A tourist has now taken it upon himself to do so. During an unauthorised visit, he discovered the rucksack containing various personal items and handed it over to the police. They passed it on to the victim’s parents, who are now expressing concern. And their reaction has stirred a political response:

Ruins on Tenerife cause concern for parents of the latest fatality

The Añaza ruins are not merely a memorial to those who were too adventurous. They are also synonymous with the ill-considered construction boom of the 1960s to the 1980s. The ruin has stood as a shell since 1973, right on the north-east coast of Tenerife. The plan was to create more than 40,000 square metres of living space, spread across 741 rooms.

Then the money ran out and the developers disappeared. To this day, not all the owners of this eyesore – which stands in the middle of what is actually a protected natural area – have been traced. That is also what makes demolition so difficult: politicians must nevertheless take the ownership situation into account.

Following the young girl’s death, the matter has gained fresh momentum. The city is set to have the title to the property transferred to it. Only once the expropriation and transfer of title have become legally binding can the building be demolished for a seven-figure sum – paid for by the public purse.

Tenerife’s eyesore: workers tear down the stairs

In the meantime, a construction hoarding is intended to protect visitors and onlookers. In their letter, the family criticises the fact that this is quite clearly insufficient. Time and again, visitors are spotted on the roof of the ruin; sometimes, pictures of this go viral on social media.

The family is calling for «additional measures to be taken at long last to properly secure the building». At the same time, the parents are asking for a meeting with politicians and the authorities. And indeed, they have now responded.

Even though demolition is not yet legally permitted, workers arrived on Friday to demolish at least the staircases on the lowest five floors. The aim is to prevent people from continuing to climb the ruins of Añaza and getting injured or losing their lives there. It remains to be seen whether this step will be enough. At any rate, it is the first genuine response in decades.