After the collapse: Kassel church gets an emergency roof
Three weeks after the collapse of a church roof in Kassel, the cause is still unclear. According to the diocese of Fulda, further building safety measures and preparations for the temporary roof on the Elisabeth Church are currently being carried out. A crane has been set up to lift the temporary roof. Depending on the weather, work will begin in the second half of the week to gradually erect it, according to a site visit on Monday.
The fallen roof, which is still inside the building, will then be secured and salvaged under the emergency roof. As it has not broken through to the ground everywhere, there is still an acute risk of collapse, explained civil engineer Ulrich Huster from the HAZ engineering office. "Only when we are sure that nothing can fall from above will we go in and see what exactly has happened."
There are several possible reasons for the collapse, explained Huster. For example, a lack of adhesive strength in the glue, overloading or previous damage to the roof caused by previous storms or snow events could be the cause. According to Huster's estimates, the safety measures will continue until the middle or end of January.
The roof of the Catholic church in the city center collapsed along its entire length on November 6. All 26 roof beams that had supported it were broken. A church employee who was in the building at the time of the collapse was physically unharmed, but suffered a shock.
The temporary roof installed on the Elisabeth Church is crucial for securing the fallen roof inside, as it still poses an emergency risk of collapse. Once the emergency roof is in place and assured to be stable, experts can investigate the cause of the church roof's collapse.
Source: www.dpa.com
