Rescue under way after medieval tower partially collapses in Rome
Part of a medieval tower in the heart of Rome has collapsed, trapping a worker and injuring others.
Part of the Torre dei Conti, on the edge of the famous Roman Forum and close to the Colosseum, collapsed just after 11:30 local time (10:30 GMT). Three more workers were pulled from the rubble, including one who was said to be in critical condition.
The Romanian foreign ministry said the trapped worker was one of the workers who contacted rescue teams and others who suffered minor injuries.
A part of the tower, which has been closed to the public for many years, collapsed during conservation works.
“It’s a very complicated situation for the firefighters because there is a person trapped inside,” Rome Governor Lamberto Giannini said.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote about
Efforts to save the worker, who was reported to be in his 60s, were disrupted when the second section of the 29 m (90 ft) high tower began to crumble again and bricks rained down, creating a large cloud of dust.
One firefighter was hospitalized with an eye problem, according to local media reports, but the rest were unharmed and eventually continued searching for the man.
Lamberto Giannini said that after the first collapse, firefighters “put some protection” around the trapped man, so they were “clearly protecting him” when the second collapse occurred.
“This is going to be a very long operation because we have to try to save the person, but we also have to try to mitigate the huge risks faced by people trying to carry out the rescue,” he added.
A police chief said there was no immediate danger of the tower collapsing.
Another worker, 67-year-old Ottaviano, who was inside at the time of the collapse but escaped unhurt from the balcony, told AFP news agency: “It wasn’t safe. I just want to go home.”
The mayor of Rome and the country’s culture minister visited the scene. Cranes and drones are also being used to assist in the rescue operation.
The 13th-century tower is part of the Roman Forum, a major tourist attraction right in the heart of the city, but is separated from the main visitor area by a road. The surrounding streets were closed by the police as a precaution.
Medieval tower, Pope Paul III. It was built by Innocent as his brother’s residence.
