Spain’s Madrid Closes Temporary Ice Rink Morgue as The Coronavirus Crisis Appears to Be Curtailing

TO date Madrid has opened three temporary morgues, as authorised by the regional government, which has housed 1,785 deceased individuals.  

This Tuesday, the President of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Diaz Ayuso has closed the Majadahonda Ice Rink which served as a temporary and extraordinary venue to receive copious amounts of deceased individuals as result of the coronavirus.

This infrastructure, which has been used for 10 days to help cope with the consequence of the pandemic, has housed the bodies of 162 deceased individuals. Now, due to the fact that funeral homes are not as over-saturated, the government of Madrid has decided to close the temporary facility.

Ayuso has thanked the various logistical organisations involved in the temporary facility and also extended her gratitude to the Military Emergency Unit who provided their services in the building.

The regional leader wanted to highlight the collective effort of communities and institutions in the fight against the coronavirus. This combination was essential in facilitating and conditioning the building, making its use as a morgue available to the entire regional healthcare network in a matter of 24 hours.

Once the Ice Rink is fully closed and no longer serves this exceptional purpose, the building will once again be at the disposal of the Majadahonda Town Hall, which may resume its normal activity when the health authority allows it.

Between the three provisional morgues set up in the Madrid region, they have accommodated a total of 1,785 bodies: The Ice Rink in Madrid (1,145); the Majadahona Ice Rink (162); and the Institute of Legal Medicine (478).

In all three infrastructures, all security protocols have been abided to, especially in terms of identifying bodies and the dignified and respectful treatment of victims.