A worker rescued from the rubble of the collapsed medieval Torre dei Conti in central Rome has tragically died, despite hours of efforts to save him, Italian news outlet Corriere della Sera reported early Tuesday.
The man had been freed by emergency crews on Monday evening to cheers from the crowd, but after working through the night in dangerous conditions, the rescue team was unable to save him.
PM Meloni Expresses Condolences
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences in a statement released after midnight, identifying the worker as Octay Stroici. She said, “I share in the profound sorrow and extend my deepest condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for this tragic loss. We stand with his family and colleagues in this moment of unbearable grief.”
Other Worker Seriously Injured
Another worker was seriously injured when the Torre dei Conti collapsed twice during renovation work on Monday. Luca Cari, spokesman for Italy’s national fire department, confirmed that the second worker is in critical condition, while three other workers were rescued without injury.
Rescue Operation Amid Further Collapses
Hundreds of tourists watched in shock as emergency responders used a mobile ladder to reach the upper levels of the 29-meter (95-foot) tower, where Stroici had been trapped by the first collapse around midday. During the rescue, another part of the structure fell, sending a cloud of debris into the air and forcing firefighters to retreat.
The collapse sent large plumes of dust into the square, accompanied by the sound of falling masonry. Though the tower itself remained standing, it sustained significant internal damage.
Eyewitness Accounts
Gelato shop worker Queen Paglinawan, 27, described the moment of collapse, saying she heard “two loud noises in quick succession” and saw the tower “collapse in a diagonal way.”
German tourist Viktoria Braeu, 18, recalled, “We were just at the Colosseum, and then we heard it erupting. We knew it wasn’t long before it was going down.”
Torre dei Conti’s History and Renovation Work
Rome city officials confirmed that the Torre dei Conti, also known as the Tower of the Counts, had been unused since 2006 and was undergoing a four-year renovation project, which was scheduled to conclude next year. The area surrounding the tower on Via dei Fori Imperiali had been closed off to pedestrians for safety during the ongoing work.
Built in 1238 by Pope Innocent III for his family, the tower originally stood much taller but was reduced in size following damage caused by earthquakes in the 14th and 17th centuries.
