Dilapidated building in Tbilisi partially collapses, killing two and sparking outrage

A dilapidated five-story residential building in the centre of Tbilisi partially collapsed on Monday, claiming the lives of two, hospitalising one, and causing backlash against the City Hall, which was aware of the building’s compromised structural integrity.

The collapse occurred near Station Square and sparked public outrage after it emerged that the building was reportedly long uninhabitable. A video resurfaced online from 2024, where a person filmed a large vertical structural crack running through its facade and expressed fears about its potential collapse.

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a criminal investigation into a potential breach of safety rules.

At least one of the victims was a shopkeeper, reportedly working either on the ground floor of the building or nearby. In a Facebook post, her niece criticised Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and the City Hall.

‘I would not wish the tragedy that befell my family today on my worst enemy!’, she wrote, tagging Kaladze and Tbilisi City Hall, and adding, ‘how do you sleep at night with the weight of so many [lives] on your conscience! My aunt, (my mother’s sister) Manana Darakhvelidze, fell under tonnes of debris today and died on the spot […]’.

‘One warning, one small wooden fence would have saved us from this tragedy! How long should we be afraid to leave the house? Full of life, healthy, she went to work today and now she is lying in the morgue!’, she wrote.

Following the tragedy, several high-ranking officials arrived at the scene and spoke to the press.

Speaking from the area of the accident, Kaladze stated that the municipal government had been aware of the building’s condition and that the residents were offered a chance to join a ‘substitution programme’, which involves demolishing uninhabitable buildings and constructing new ones in their stead. However, the programme requires unanimous consent from all residents — a condition that, according to Kaladze, had not been met. According to him, residents who had agreed to relocate were provided with alternative housing.

Georgia’s newly appointed Internal Affairs Minister, Gela Geladze, initially confirmed the death of one person and the hospitalisation of another. A second body was later recovered.

‘I can confirm that only one person has been taken to the hospital. They’re conscious and receiving medical assistance. At this stage, we can also confirm that only one person has died’, he said.

Geladze’s use of the word ‘only’ when referring to the casualties drew criticism online as many argued that he was downplaying the tragedy.

Further backlash followed after some also interpreted Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi Irakli Bendeliani’s remarks as an attempt to shift responsibility onto the residents.

‘Once again, I want to urge the residents to seriously reflect on this tragic incident, and to fully accept the offers made by City Hall. When a building is dilapidated and people’s lives are at risk, we must all approach the situation with greater responsibility […] I once again call on and ask the residents of the capital to take this unfortunate incident as a lesson, so that we can prevent such tragedies in the future’.

Opposition parties released statements expressing condolences to the friends and families of those affected and accusing the local government of negligence.

In its statement, the opposition Freedom Square party referenced past tragedies, such as the mudslide in Shovi in 2023 and a residential building collapse in Batumi in 2021 that resulted in casualties.

‘In any democratic and humane state, the mayor would resign at such a time, and all those responsible would be brought before justice, but we no longer live in a normal country. Georgian Dream feels neither responsibility nor remorse — they only justify themselves, hide the truth, and blame the victims. This is what happened in Shovi, this is what happened in Batumi, and this is what will happen now: they will try to avoid responsibility and once again declare citizens as the ones who are at fault’.

Members of the former ruling United National Movement party (UNM) filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s Office, demanding that an investigation be launched into ‘the criminal actions’ of Kaladze and the City Hall.

The independent trade union Article 78 of the Constitution also criticised Tbilisi City Hall for ignoring known structural risks, despite having officially classified the building as dangerous.

‘Why did it allow commercial establishments to operate in a dilapidated building […], and why didn’t it restrict street trading outside the building? Why was a parking area set up in front of the building, and even if some residents refused relocation, why didn’t the City Hall ensure the safety and well-being of both the local residents and passersby?’

The union also accused Kaladze of misleading the public by claiming that relocation wasn’t possible due to a lack of unanimous consent from residents.

‘Changes to the required consent for replacing dilapidated apartment buildings were introduced more than two years ago’, they said, citing a Tbilisi City Council resolution from 27 January 2023.

The opposition-aligned channel Mtavari reported that Kaladze responded by claiming that the adoption of the resolution was false, and reiterated that the evacuation of residents and subsequent demolition of the building required a unanimous decision.

‘I say this with full responsibility. If this is not true, [I’m ready] to resign today’, Kaladze said.

Independent news outlet Publika reported that Kaladze made additional comments, responding to criticism.

‘Everything — good and bad — that happens in the city is all our responsibility, but it’s not right to constantly politicise things; every time there’s a tragic incident, you always say that Kakha Kaladze and the City Hall are to blame. There is legislation, rules — neither I nor my colleagues are the kind of people to storm into homes with special forces and evict families’.

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