We interupt this visit …

About 40 minutes after entering the building, introduced by a couple of organ chords, an urgent sounding announcement began in Spanish, followed by English, as security personnel began to appear at every entrance/exit. The announcement said they were carrying out an emergency evacuation drill and we all needed to leave immediately by the nearest exit. Security personnel directed the large crowd to leave the interior and to move to the far side of the spacious courtyard outside.

As we emerged blinking into the bright sunshine, uniformed police were rushing into the courtyard to put up cordons to keep us away from the building. I asked a tour guide who I heard speaking English to her group if we were being asked to leave the courtyard and she said a guard told her we could stay there for now.

Turning to face the mosque-catedral, a shocking scene appeared to be unfolding high on the roof of the catedral, above the high altar.

Smoke was pouring from the roof as several fire hoses were played back and forth across the rooftops. Sirens filled the air and various police, fire engines and ambulances could be seen rushing past the courtyard walls, and then entering the building. More firefighters appeared on the rooftop in breathing apparatus.

Although the announcement talked about a drill, the scene outside didn’t look like a drill at all. For probably 10 or so minutes, I (and many others) thought that we were witnessing a cultural disaster before our eyes (with the brief thought that I’d only seen part of the building and hadn’t yet seen the catedral proper at all). There crowd stood in almost silence, with most staring toward the fire.

Several security personnel then moved through the crowd, handing out flyers (in Spanish and English) which confirmed that this was indeed a simulated emergency to test and learn from the catedral’s and the emergency services’ combined response. The mood in the courtyard immediately improved!

After about 45 minutes, the “fire” was out and we were allowed back inside.Read more