Firemen have recovered a third body from the debris of a building in Santander's Cabildo de Arriba district which collapsed on Saturday evening.

The identity of the man, who was found yesterday evening, has not been confirmed though it is believed that he is an Argentinian who lived in the top-floor terrace flat with 70 year old Gumersinda Colmenero and her son, Jesús, who also died.

Gumersinda's body was recovered soon after the building collapsed last Saturday though her son was not found until nearly 6am yesterday morning after an all-night search.

A spokesman from Santander Town Hall explained yesterday that "unauthorised" renovation work on the building next door - at number 12 calle Cuesta del Hospital - may have been the cause of the tragedy.

At least two killed in latest city-centre building collapse
By: thinkSPAIN
Sunday, December 9, 2007

Two bodies have been recovered from the debris of a residential building in Santander's tumbledown Cabildo de Arriba district, where four other buildings have collapsed and several others have either been demolished or condemned, since 2005.

The two victims have been identified as Gumersinda Colmenero Carranceja, an elderly lady in her seventies whose body was recovered yesterday evening, and her son, Jesús Cadelo Colmenero, whose body was found during the early hours of this morning.

A third man, who lived with the two victims in the top-floor terrace flat of the five-storey building, is still missing.

One other resident, who lived in one of the lower-floor flats, walked out uninjured after the building collapsed at around 6.10pm yesterday evening. He and seven other residents have been found alternative accommodation in local hotels, or are staying with relatives.