Falling balconies cause Riga concern

A section of a deteriorating balcony fell from a building in the center of Riga this week. No one was injured but the incident prompted the city of Riga's executive director, Maris Tralmaks, to investigate the safety of ageing balconies across the city.

So far the ongoing investigation has revealed more than 700 balconies that are in danger of collapsing.

Some two-thirds of the balconies are in privately owned buildings, which may delay the process of making them secure. According to the City Council, balcony repair has not been a priority of private owners renovating buildings.

Serious injury or even death resulting from a collapsing balcony is inevitable if they are not repaired or torn down, according to city officials.

Karlis Plensners, director of the construction company PEAB, says the biggest problems with balconies occur when the metal rods inside the concrete that serve as reinforcement begin to rust.

"Then the (rods) start to bend, the concrete cracks and when you get moisture in the cracks it could freeze during winter, expand and crack it open even more," he said. "There is a great need for either repairing them or tearing them down."

There are significant differences between balconies designed and built today and those built under Soviet rule.

As soon as the investigation is finished, the City Council will decide whether to order repairs of balconies or their removal.