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Worker Dies After Rescue From Collapse of Rome’s 13th-Century Torre dei Conti

Prosecutors have seized the EU-funded restoration site to investigate possible negligence after two internal collapses complicated the rescue.

Overview

  • The trapped worker, identified by Italy’s prime minister as Octay Stroici, a Romanian national, was extracted late Monday and later died at Umberto I hospital, authorities said.
  • Another worker remains hospitalized with serious injuries, while three colleagues were evacuated largely unharmed and no firefighters or bystanders were reported injured.
  • The tower partially collapsed shortly before noon during renovation work, then suffered a second internal collapse about 90 minutes later while firefighters attempted a rescue.
  • Fire crews conducted a prolonged, high-risk operation using aerial ladders, cranes and drones, progressing cautiously because of the danger of further structural failures.
  • Officials say the tower, which remains standing with significant internal damage, had passed structural surveys before this phase of the EU-backed restoration, and investigators are examining site safety and procedures.