38. Maxima Superstore, Latvia
Built: 2011
Collapsed: 2013
Est. Damages: $1.59 million*
Located in Zolitude, Riga, Latvia, the Maxima shopping center’s collapse made headlines around the world in November of 2013. The building was designed by Kubs, a local architectural firm, and it contained a supermarket, bank, newsagent, pet shop, beauty salon, and currency exchange.
Maxima Superstore, Latvia ©Valenciano / Wikimedia.org
The roof collapsed over the supermarket’s checkout counters. Though the death toll was 54, it could have been worse. Luckily, people were told to evacuate the building immediately, and first responders showed up to the scene only a few minutes after the initial collapse. The building’s decimation was due to a design flaw in the foundation. Though construction workers warned Kubs, the firm disregarded their complaints.