Worker trapped under collapsed medieval tower in Rome dies

"Parts of the 29-metre (95 ft) Torre dei Conti crashed to the ground at around 1030 GMT on Monday and a second collapse followed 90 minutes later, videos posted on social media and Reuters video showed. Clouds of dust came billowing out of the windows to the sound of collapsing masonry. The second incident took place while firefighters were working on the structure with aerial ladders."

"The man was pulled out of the tower by emergency services late on Monday, after about 11 hours, but was in a state of cardiac arrest when he arrived at the hospital and was declared dead early on Tuesday, a hospital statement said. "Despite the sustained efforts of the medical teams in Rome, Octav Stroici, who had been trapped under the rubble of a historic building undergoing restoration works, has sadly passed away," the Romanian Foreign Ministry said on X."

"The tower, which was due to be converted into a museum and conference space, is located halfway along the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the broad avenue that leads from central Piazza Venezia to the Colosseum. The building was still standing, but showing significant internal damage. It once hosted city hall offices but has not been in use since 2006 and was being worked on as part of a four-year renovation project due to end next year, according to Rome city authorities."

Parts of the 29-metre Torre dei Conti collapsed twice on Monday, first around 1030 GMT and again about 90 minutes later while firefighters were working on the structure. Clouds of dust billowed from windows as masonry fell. Emergency teams pulled a man from the rubble after about 11 hours; he arrived at hospital in cardiac arrest and was later declared dead. A second Romanian worker suffered serious but non-life-threatening head injuries and two others had minor injuries. The tower sustained significant internal damage but remained standing. The 13th-century tower was under an EU-funded four-year restoration due to end next year and the area had been closed to pedestrians.

Read at Irish Independent