Worker dies in Italy after rescue from partially collapsed medieval tower

A Romanian idiosyncratic who was pulled from the rubble of a medieval operation that partially collapsed successful the Italian capital, Rome, has died successful hospital, according to officials.

Octay Stroici, who had remained conscious during the agelong rescue operation, was taken to Umberto I Hospital successful superior information precocious connected Monday and was pronounced dormant hours later.

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“Resuscitation attempts were made for astir an hr to prevention Octay Stroici,” Italian quality bureau ANSA said, citing the Umberto I hospital.

“Despite this, spontaneous cardiac enactment could not beryllium restored”, and his “death was pronounced astatine 12:20am” connected Tuesday (23:20 GMT).

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was speedy to connection her condolences.

“I explicit heavy sorrow and condolences, connected behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic nonaccomplishment of Octay Stroici, the idiosyncratic who was killed successful the illness of the Torre dei Conti successful Rome,” she said successful a statement. “​We are adjacent to his household and colleagues astatine this clip of unspeakable suffering.”

Stroici had been helping to renovate the 29-metre (95-foot) Torre dei Conti, which partially collapsed soon earlier midday connected Monday, sending rubble into the thoroughfare and a heavy achromatic unreality of particulate into the air.

Dust rises arsenic portion of the Torre dei Conti operation collapses pursuing an earlier partial collapse, adjacent Via dei Fori Imperiali, adjacent the Colosseum, successful Rome, Italy, November 3, 2025 [Remo Casilli/ Reuters]

The illness trapped Stroici, and rescuers had faced a analyzable task arsenic they tried to usage aerial ladders and a first-floor model to get adjacent him. But they were forced to retreat aft a 2nd illness took spot 90 minutes later.

Another attack connected 2 ladders was besides aborted, and a drone was sent up instead.

As dusk approached, firefighters lifted connected a crane utilized elephantine tubes to suck rubble retired of the second-floor window. They continued the enactment precocious into the night.

“The cognition lasted a agelong clip due to the fact that each clip a portion of the assemblage was freed, determination was further rubble that covered it,” Lamberto Giannini, prefect of Rome, told reporters.

Three workers were rescued unharmed aft the archetypal midday incident, said firefighter spokesperson Luca Cari. Another worker, property 64, was hospitalised successful captious condition, with authorities tv RAI reporting that helium was conscious and had suffered a breached nose.

No firefighters were injured successful the operation.

The Torre dei Conti is successful a engaged area, conscionable disconnected the Imperial Forum and adjacent to the Colosseum, Italy’s apical tourer site. It was built successful the 13th period by Pope Innocent III arsenic a residence for his family.

The operation was damaged successful a 1349 earthquake and suffered consequent collapses successful the 17th century.

The structure, which has been closed since 2007, is undergoing a 6.9 cardinal euro (nearly $8m) restoration, which includes conservations work, the installation of electrical, lighting and h2o systems, and a caller depository installation dedicated to the astir caller phases of the Roman Imperial Forum, officials said.

Before the latest signifier was started successful June, structural surveys and load tests were carried retired “to verify the stableness of the structure, which confirmed the information conditions necessary” to proceed with work, including asbestos removal, officials said.

The existent work, carried retired astatine a outgo of 400,000 euros ($460,000), was conscionable astir complete.

In a abstracted development, the Italian authorities summoned Russia’s ambassador aft the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman made a nexus betwixt the mishap and Italy’s enactment for Ukraine.

“As agelong arsenic the Italian authorities keeps uselessly wasting taxpayers’ money, each of Italy volition collapse, from the system to its towers,” said the spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, connected Telegram.

Italy’s overseas minister, Antonio Tajani, slammed Zakharova’s remarks arsenic “shameful” and “unacceptable”.