A medieval tower at the Torre dei Conti, near the Roman Forum, in central Rome partially collapsed twice during renovation work, leaving one worker trapped and another injured.
The incident happened just after 11.30am (09:30 GMT) at the Torre dei Conti, near the Roman Forum. Falling debris struck a 64-year-old worker, who was taken to San Giovanni hospital. According to Francesco Rocca, Lazio’s regional president, his injuries are not life-threatening.
Firefighters rescued three other workers from scaffolding on the 29-metre-high Rome tower as crowds of tourists watched.
However, during the operation, a section of the tower gave way again around 1pm, trapping one worker on an upper floor.
“We are trying to get him out alive but the situation is complex because of the risk of further collapses,” said national fire department spokesperson Luca Cari.
Witnesses reported a loud bang followed by clouds of dust. One told Corriere della Sera: “I saw a worker fall.” Firefighters used a drone to inspect the damaged structure through a window.
A worker who was inside during the first collapse said he escaped from a balcony.
“It was not safe. I just want to go home,” said the man, identified as Ottaviano, 67, covered in white dust.
Nearby worker Queen Paglinawan, 27, said she heard two loud noises while at her gelato shop.
“I was working and then I heard some like falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way,” she said, as another part of the building gave way in the background.
Viktoria Braeu, 18, a student from Germany, said she witnessed the second collapse.
“We were just at the Colosseum and we were just walking to get some food and then we were like, ‘It’s probably not long until it’s going to go down,’ and then it just started erupting,” she said.
Authorities have cordoned off the Forum and Piazza Venezia area, which attracts heavy tourist traffic. Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, and Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, visited the scene.
The Torre dei Conti, built in the 13th century by Richard Conti, brother of Pope Innocent III, has a history of structural damage. It was partly destroyed by an earthquake in 1349 and suffered more collapses in later centuries. Current restoration works are being funded through the EU’s post-pandemic recovery programme.
- The Guardian UK