Wanted in Rome
Restoration resumes at Torre dei Conti after emergency works following fatal collapse. Rome's fire brigade has completed its emergency consolidation work at the Torre dei Conti and returned the site to the city council, nearly five months after a partial collapse of the 13th-century tower claimed the life of a construction worker. A handover ceremony was held on Tuesday, attended by Rome's mayor Roberto Gualtieri, prefect Lamberto Giannini, the commander of Rome's fire brigade Adriano De Acutis, and Alina Stroici, the daughter of the worker who lost his life in the accident. With the consolidation phase now complete, restoration work on the building can resume. Collapse The tower, a mediaeval landmark situated near the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, suffered a partial collapse last November during restoration work. The dramatic incident resulted in the death of Octav Stroici, a 66-year-old Romanian construction worker who was trapped under rubble for more than 11 hours. He was extracted alive by firefighters but died shortly after arriving in hospital. Following the disaster, Rome's mayor ordered the evacuation of a number of residential and commercial buildings in the vicinity of the tower, and a police investigation was opened for manslaughter, negligent disaster and serious injury. Rome remembers Octav Stroici At the ceremony, Gualtieri paid tribute to Stroici, expressing deep sorrow at his loss and sympathy for his family. The mayor praised the fire brigade's interinstitutional work and professionalism, saying it had made possible the saving of an important and precious monument that would otherwise have been lost, adding that what he called "the Rome method" had once again proved effective. The fire brigade commander De Acutis acknowledged that the operation had presented many challenges and that some of the planned activities had changed in the course of the works, but said that the structure was now entirely safe and would not give way. He expressed regret that firefighters had been unable to save Stroici, and said he was glad the worker's daughter was present at the ceremony. The handover fell on World Day for Safety and Health at Work, a coincidence noted by Prefect Giannini, who said it was deeply significant and underscored the importance of protecting both cultural heritage and human life. The judicial investigation into the causes of the collapse is continuing in parallel with the resumption of restoration works. Photo Wanted in Rome
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