In Zastávka, the wall of the chapel collapsed; people used to go there for mass

Zastávka near Brno - The wall of the chapel of St. John the Baptist partially collapsed in Zastávka near Brno on Tuesday. The firefighters had to secure the site, said their spokesman Jaroslav Mikoška to ČTK today. According to Mayor Petr Pospíšil, the chapel served as the only church in the village, and people went there for mass. It will now be closed. Priest Jan Klíma told ČTK that people will have to travel to Rosice for mass, and the repair of the building will be addressed after assessment by a structural engineer. No one was injured.

According to Klíma, there was originally a building in the location that served as a locker room for miners. "In 1911 it was converted into a chapel, but there isn’t even a flushing toilet there. We wanted to make a sewage system, which is why a company was working there. They were excavating around the foundation of the wall. When it rained, water probably got in, and a piece of the wall measuring eight by eight meters fell," Klíma noted.

The chapel is currently inaccessible. Although the firefighters have secured the wall, only a structural engineer will evaluate how extensive the damage is and what will need to be repaired. "The structural engineer has to determine whether new foundations are necessary, whether the vault has shifted, and so on. Regarding the finances for the repair, we need to come to an agreement with the municipality and the company that conducted the excavation," Klíma added.

The chapel accommodated 50 people. "They took advantage of the fact that mass was held on Saturday evenings. People from the nearby area also came, who perhaps could not attend Sunday mass due to work elsewhere. The location was accessible, as there was a train and a bus nearby. Now, people will have to travel to Rosice until this is resolved," Klíma mentioned.

The situation has also complicated the planned June pilgrimage dedicated to St. John the Baptist. "We will not be able to celebrate it in the chapel. But the mayor said that a stage will be built outside," added the priest.