A tragedy in the metropolitan cathedral: the latent risk in the biggest temple of Mexico

It was three o'clock The fire ended with the windows of the dome and attacked the choir, stone masonry and two organs of the Metropolitan Cathedral. Although the fire occurred on January 17, 1967, it appears that in the church another similar event is a latent risk.

Could an event similar to Notre Dame's happen in the cathedral?

According to an article published by L & # 39; universal, lack of maintenance and negligence are a constant in the property – also affected by the September 2017 earthquakes.

In addition to the sinking of the ground, we can see the cathedral unprotected cables (that is, they are not channeled or in gutters) and fire extinguishers without appropriate signage. The structure of the temple presence of herbs

They are also not used inside the enclosure fireproof candles protect from fire and, apparently, the pieces of wood have not been treated with a retarder to prevent their combustion in case of fire.

There are 51 surveillance cameras, but only 45 operate in a location that since 1987 is considered a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Disused cables without appropriate safety rules to isolate them or cables suspended from one column to another are visible in the housing, while some of the fire extinguishers do not have the correct signage and you do not know of which material is the mesh placed in the central vault to stop the detachments of paint.

Among all these problems that affect the Metropolitan Cathedral, in the historic center of the CDMXthe Catholic Church designates cultural authorities as responsible for temple care, but these make it the work of religious badociations.

Arturo Balandrano, owner of Directorate General of Cultural Heritage Sites and Monuments of the Ministry of CultureHe commented on L & # 39; universal about the Article 83 of the General Law on National Property.

According to the text, religious badociations are those who must carry out "at their expense, construction, repair, restoration, extension, renovation, conservation, maintenance and demolition" buildings dedicated to religious purposes.

In accordance with Article 81 of the same law, the Ministry of Culture should only "examine, approve and, if necessary, execute the work projects submitted by the religious badociation user of each property, for its maintenance, conservation and optimal use ".

The religious authorities refused to offer an interview on the subject, saying that the question concerned the Ministry of Culture.

The Metropolitan Cathedral is insured against fires, cyclones, rains, floods and hurricanes, but due to the high cost of the police, the risks of earthquakes or volcanoes have been left out.

The truth is that the temple remains vulnerable to one of these events, which jeopardizes not only its structure, but also the treasures that guard its five altars, 16 chapels and 2 monumental organs.