At least 9 dead after church roof collapses in Mexico, officials say
NPR Online NewsOct 02, 2023
At Least 10 Dead, 60 Injured After Church Collapses in Mexico
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Image copyright: Wikimedia Commons
The Facts
A church roof in northern Mexico collapsed on Sunday, killing at least 10 people and injuring 60 others. On Monday, rescuers claimed that no further victims remained trapped in the debris, despite the ongoing hunt for survivors.
One hundred people were in the church located in Ciudad Madero in the Tamaulipas state. Officials say that approximately 30 parishioners were trapped when the roof caved in, adding that searchers crawled under the roof slabs with dogs to help look for survivors.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Buildings in Mexico are fundamentally flawed — design failures and government corruption have claimed hundreds of lives over the past few decades. Structures throughout Mexico are susceptible to earthquakes, yet numerous studies have shown that Mexico doesn’t have adequate construction regulations. Addtionally, research shows that officials in various areas have turned a blind-eye in inspections for bribes. This latest incident is reflective of systemic failure.
Pro-establishment narrative
Mexico actually has quite robust regulations and guidelines for construction, but unfortunately some very strong earthquakes have caused tragic building collapses and destruction. Of course, some buildings are poorly constructed, and there are some corrupt officials who ignored failed building inspections, but the existence of a few outliers isn’t indicative of a systemic problem.
