A Romanian worker who was pulled from the rubble of a medieval tower that partially collapsed in the Italian capital, Rome, has died in hospital, according to officials.
Octay Stroici, who had remained conscious during the long rescue operation, was taken to Umberto I Hospital in serious condition late on Monday and was pronounced dead hours later.
“Resuscitation attempts were made for about an hour to save Octay Stroici,” Italian news agency ANSA said, citing the Umberto I hospital.
“Despite this, spontaneous cardiac activity could not be restored”, and his “death was pronounced at 12:20am” on Tuesday (23:20 GMT).
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was quick to offer her condolences.
“I express deep sorrow and condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic loss of Octay Stroici, the worker who was killed in the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome,” she said in a statement. “We are close to his family and colleagues at this time of unspeakable suffering.”
Stroici had been helping to renovate the 29-metre (95-foot) Torre dei Conti, which partially collapsed shortly before midday on Monday, sending rubble into the street and a thick white cloud of dust into the air.
The collapse trapped Stroici, and rescuers had faced a complex task as they tried to use aerial ladders and a first-floor window to get near him. But they were forced to retreat after a second collapse took place 90 minutes later.
Another approach on two ladders was also aborted, and a drone was sent up instead.
As dusk approached, firefighters lifted on a crane used giant tubes to suck rubble out of the second-floor window. They continued the work late into the night.
“The operation lasted a long time because every time a part of the body was freed, there was additional rubble that covered it,” Lamberto Giannini, prefect of Rome, told reporters.
Three workers were rescued unharmed after the initial midday incident, said firefighter spokesperson Luca Cari. Another worker, age 64, was hospitalised in critical condition, with state television RAI reporting that he was conscious and had suffered a broken nose.
No firefighters were injured in the operation.
The Torre dei Conti is in a busy area, just off the Imperial Forum and close to the Colosseum, Italy’s top tourist site. It was built in the 13th century by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his family.
The tower was damaged in a 1349 earthquake and suffered subsequent collapses in the 17th century.
The structure, which has been closed since 2007, is undergoing a 6.9 million euro (nearly $8m) restoration, which includes conservations work, the installation of electrical, lighting and water systems, and a new museum installation dedicated to the most recent phases of the Roman Imperial Forum, officials said.
Before the latest phase was started in June, structural surveys and load tests were carried out “to verify the stability of the structure, which confirmed the safety conditions necessary” to proceed with work, including asbestos removal, officials said.
The current work, carried out at a cost of 400,000 euros ($460,000), was just about complete.
In a separate development, the Italian government summoned Russia’s ambassador after the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman made a link between the accident and Italy’s support for Ukraine.
“As long as the Italian government keeps uselessly wasting taxpayers’ money, all of Italy will collapse, from the economy to its towers,” said the spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, on Telegram.
Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, slammed Zakharova’s remarks as “shameful” and “unacceptable”.
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