Demolition crews begin dismantling upper floors of Rahova block after 2025 blast

Controlled demolition begins

Demolition crews in Bucharest began the controlled dismantling of the upper floors of an eight-story apartment building in the Rahova neighbourhood on 5 October 2026. The structure, located on Calea Rahovei in Sector 5, sustained heavy damage during an explosion on 17 October 2025. Workers deployed an excavator equipped with hydraulic shears to cut concrete and rebar without transmitting severe vibrations to adjacent structures. The technical intervention targets floors five through eight, which municipal engineers identified as carrying an acute collapse risk. Access to the upper stairwell and private units had remained blocked since the blast, preventing investigators and residents from entering. The City Hall of Bucharest announced the operation in an official briefing:

The controlled demolition of floors 8 to 5 has begun at the block in Rahova. This is an exceptional intervention, a first in Romania. The deflagration took place in that area, making entry into the staircase and apartments impossible. The State Inspectorate for Construction and the Emergency Situations Committee do not permit entry into the block until the entire staircase is secured.

Engineering preparations and site safety

Safety works on the damaged site began on 22 September 2026, after contractor Apolodor finalized site mobilization. Crews installed 480 support props across the lower floors over a ten-day period to reinforce the standing framework. Technicians could not place support props above the fifth floor because the internal walls were too unstable to bear loads. To protect an adjacent high school from falling debris, workers erected a 30-meter protective mesh wall along the property line. The demolition followed a technical evaluation finished in mid-September 2026, during which specialists surveyed 270 apartments across five neighbouring staircases to compile a 500-page monitoring report.

Investigation, casualties, and resident support

The explosion on 17 October 2025 caused three deaths, including a pregnant woman, and injured 15 other people. Investigators determined that the blast epicentre was situated around the fifth and sixth floors, leading officials to declare the building uninhabitable. In late October 2025, prosecutors detained three people in connection with the criminal probe into the incident. The Bucharest General Council approved a 12-month extension of financial assistance for 43 displaced families who relocated to rented apartments following initial hotel stays. Authorities stated that residents living on the lower levels will eventually receive supervised access alongside emergency crews to retrieve documents and personal items.

Resident concerns over property recovery

Several displaced owners expressed frustration over the operation, citing a lack of direct updates and inability to retrieve belongings before cutting began. Residents reported that they learned about site schedules primarily from news coverage and social media groups rather than official notices. Witnesses observed personal possessions, including mattresses and clothing, falling from exposed rooms as machinery dismantled exterior walls on 5 October. Displaced tenants reported that essential pension records and personal keepsakes remain trapped inside the damaged structure. Municipal authorities stated that specialized teams will assist residents in recovering salvaged belongings from debris piles in controlled conditions.