Two tourists were caught on camera walking just centimetres from the edge of the abandoned Añaza building in Tenerife, holding mobile phones and without any safety equipment, in scenes that have sparked outrage both locally and abroad. The footage reached British media on Friday, including The Sun, which described the structure as a “death building” due to its extreme danger and tragic history.
The building in question is an unfinished hotel complex in the Añaza neighbourhood of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, whose construction began in 1973 but was abandoned just two years later. The massive concrete structure, rising 22 storeys high, has remained in a state of progressive decay for decades, supported by severely deteriorated foundations.
Police intervention after alert
According to the British report, local police forced the tourists to leave the premises after receiving an alert from municipal workers who noticed their presence inside the building. Officers reportedly warned the individuals that they could face fines exceeding £500 (approximately €576) for trespassing and ignoring safety regulations.
The tourists allegedly gained access by breaking through a metal mesh barrier, despite clearly visible warning signs posted in several languages that explicitly prohibit entry due to the risk of serious injury or death.
A structure with a deadly record
The seriousness of the incident lies not only in the recklessness of the act, but also in the building’s well-documented history of fatalities. Since being abandoned, at least five people have lost their lives inside the structure. The most recent tragedy occurred in early December 2025, when a minor fell to her death, reigniting public anger and renewed calls for demolition.
Despite years of complaints from residents, the site has increasingly become a dangerous magnet for Instagrammers, urban explorers and thrill-seekers, many of whom ignore both physical barriers and repeated warnings in pursuit of dramatic images and online attention.
Growing pressure to demolish the building
The incident comes at a time when the future of the structure appears closer to resolution. The Town Planning Department of Santa Cruz City Council has recently approved the initiation and preliminary authorisation of compulsory expropriation proceedings for the abandoned hotel.
This legal step responds to the failure to fulfil the social function of the property, which has remained unfinished and unused for decades without a valid title or development purpose. The councillor responsible for the area, Zaida González, confirmed that the expropriation process is now underway and that formal notifications are being issued to the two registered Spanish entities linked to the site: the Santa María Community of Property and Promociones y Servicios Los Guíos (Progrisa).
Long-standing safety measures — and ongoing risk
As early as 2018, the City Council fenced off the building and installed warning signs in multiple languages highlighting the danger of entering the illegal and unfinished structure. That same year, the authorities launched subsidiary enforcement measures in an attempt to identify the owners and address the safety risks posed by the private property.
However, repeated breaches of the perimeter and continued trespassing incidents have shown that physical barriers alone have not been sufficient to prevent dangerous access.
A stark reminder
The latest episode serves as yet another stark reminder of the risks posed by abandoned urban structures, particularly when they become viral attractions. Local authorities and residents continue to stress that no photograph is worth risking a life, as pressure mounts to finally bring an end to one of Tenerife’s most dangerous and infamous eyesores.
