Chile's Housing Ministry (Minvu) has terminated its contract with Constructora San Sebastián and filed a complaint with the Public Prosecutor's Office over violations in reconstructing Viña del Mar's El Olivar sector, hit by the 2024 megafire. Minister Iván Poduje highlighted seismic risks and other flaws found in a technical audit.
Chile's Ministry of Housing and Urbanism (Minvu) has ended its contract with Constructora San Sebastián, tasked with rebuilding Viña del Mar's El Olivar sector after the 2024 megafire. The move follows a technical audit by engineering teams from the Housing and Urbanization Service (Serviu), which uncovered multiple violations.
Minister Iván Poduje noted prior complaints from suppliers against the firm. "We conducted a technical evaluation with our Serviu engineering teams and detected that the rebuilt houses had seismic risks, along with a series of violations, all of which are public," Poduje stated on Saturday, as reported by Radio Biobío.
Issues cited include poor seismic performance in the homes, lack of structural rigidity elements, deformation risks, shortcomings in fire resistance, and unaccredited acoustic insulation between units. Poduje said the matter has been referred to the Public Prosecutor's Office for legal proceedings.
The action aligns with an audit pledged by President José Antonio Kast, the minister stressed.
