Open manholes pose danger in Pego ghost town

AN UNFINISHED urbanisation west of Monte Pego has ‘hundreds’ of uncovered manholes all over its roads – large enough to swallow up a child or small animal.

Although difficult to access and home to nothing but a few breeze-block shells of houses, the Penya Rotja estate between Monte Pego and Pego town sees its fair share of walkers, mostly out of curiosity.

Some locals say they have even seen wild animals fall down these shafts but that ‘luckily’, no people have done so.

Anyone who did would need to wait until a person came walking past, which could be weeks.

Pego council has been accused of ‘waiting for the worst to happen’ before dealing with the issue, but its officials insist they are ‘aware’ of it.

But as is usually the case with incomplete housing developments, the council says its hands are tied.

Developer Martinsa Fadesa is responsible for maintenance on the Penya Rotja, ‘including its roads’.

Local authorities say it appears the manhole covers were stolen for sale as scrap metal.

The site has been repeatedly pillaged since works stopped in 2008, with plant and machinery pinched and street lights ripped out within weeks of its being abandoned.

But it seems unlikely Martinsa Fadesa will take action, since the firm is in receivership and its administrators will need to decide whether the cost is a ‘priority’.

Martinsa Fadesa has told the council it plans to fence off the entire complex, but with receivers called in, the company itself no longer has a say over what its remaining funds are spent on.