Worker trapped and one injured after part of Rome medieval tower collapses | Italy

A medieval tower in central Rome has partially collapsed twice during renovation works, injuring one worker and trapping another.

Debris from the initial collapse of the Torre dei Conti hit a 64-year-old worker just after 11.30am (0930 GMT), near the ruins of the Roman Forum, Ansa news agency reported. He was taken to San Giovanni hospital in a critical condition, but Lazio’s regional president Francesco Rocca said his injuries were not life-threatening.

Firefighters rescued three other workers from the scaffolding of the 29-meter-high tower as hundreds of tourists and passersby looked on. During the operation, the interior of the tower collapsed at around 13:00 and a worker was trapped on the upper floor.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud explosion and seeing clouds of dust. One of them told Corriere della Sera: “I saw a worker fall.”

The Forum and Piazza Venezia area, which is constantly crowded with tourists and traffic, was cordoned off. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli were at the scene.

Torre dei Conti was built by Pope Paul III in the 13th century. It was built by Innocentius as a fortified residence for his family. It was damaged in the earthquake in 1349 and was destroyed in the 17th century.

The restoration work is financed with funds from the EU’s post-pandemic recovery fund.