Real Estate

Re&Re, which hired the independent experts to analyze the building design and the construction process, says that the final report will be presented after all the relevant calculations and laboratory tests of the construction materials used in building the supermarket are carried out.

The expert analysis, carried out by certified construction engineers Aldis Grasmanis, Valerijs Vasiljevs and Didzis Zigurs, states that the main reasons for the collapse of the Maxima supermarket at 20 Priedaines Street in Riga on November 21 are as follows: faulty estimations of maximum loads to be borne by the roof of the building and connections of steel members under the roof.

Re&Re has also invited international construction engineering company "BRE Global" to carry out full analysis and examination of construction materials at the Maxima supermarket once the facility may be accessed.

As reported, 54 people died and several dozen were injured as a Maxima supermarket in Riga's Zolitude neighborhood collapsed on November 21. The Riga supermarket tragedy has become the largest loss of life since the restoration of independence in 1991.

The police have opened a criminal case pursuant to the Criminal Law's Section 239 Part 2 – violation of construction provisions if serious consequences have been caused thereby. The investigation is continuing.

"Homburg" group subsidiary Homburg Zolitude is the developer of the supermarket and the adjacent apartment building. The supermarket opened at the end of 2011, whereas construction of the apartment building has been halted.

Re&Re was the general contractor in both projects.