James Warren
A MAN has died after his cave house collapsed on top of him in a remote area of Granada on Friday.
Police were alerted to the collapse of the property in the Cortes de Baza area north of Granada city.
The call was phoned in by the victims father, who had not heard from his son since January 3, and grew concerned for his wellbeing.
As officers from the Guardia Civil arrived at the property, they were faced with an entranceway obscured by rubble and debris, blocking access to the inside.
Due to the remote nature of the area, specialists from the Mountain Rescue Team and specially trained firefighters from Baza were called to assist with the rescue.
It was quickly discovered that there was two access points to the house, the doorway and the chimney, and with the door completely blocked, rescuers were forced to enter from above using picks and shovels.
Once the property was secured to ensure the remaining ceiling was safe from further collapse, rescuers gained access to the living room, and with the help of sniffer dogs, found the lifeless body of the young man buried under the rubble.
The body has been carefully recovered and sent to the Institute of Medicine in Granada for an autopsy.
The Cortes de Baza area of Granada is a richly historical, rural area of the province and is very popular with cave style houses, many of which originate from prehistoric times.
The unique terrain has earned the area a badge of historical importance from the Junta de Andalucia and is a popular tourist attraction.
