AP
—
A medieval tower in the center of Italy’s capital, close to the well-known Roman Forum ruins, partially collapsed on Monday throughout renovations of the construction, critically injuring one worker and trapping another, authorities mentioned.
Hundreds of tourists watched as firefighters used a cellular ladder to convey a stretcher to the higher degree of the Torre dei Conti to rescue the worker who remained trapped.
During the rescue try, another a part of the construction partially collapsed, sending up a cloud of particles and forcing firefighters to rapidly retreat.
Firefighter spokesman Luca Cari confirmed that the one remaining worker remained trapped hours after the preliminary collapse. He added {that a} rescued worker was being handled in vital situation and that another three employees have been rescued unhurt.
The preliminary collapse occurred a while earlier than midday, and didn’t seem to have concerned any bystanders.
Queen Paglinawan was working in a close-by gelato parlor when she heard the 2 loud noises from the city in fast succession.
“I was working and then I heard some like falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way,” Paglinawan, 27, mentioned as but another collapse occurred in the background.
German scholar Viktoria Braeu handed by the scene simply because the partial collapse through the firefighters’ rescue occurred.
“We were just at the Colosseum … and we were just walking to get some food. … And then we were like, ‘It’s probably not long until it’s going to go down,’ and then it just started erupting,” mentioned Braeu, 18.
Four firefighters later approached the first-floor window on two cellular ladders, however have been rapidly pulled again when mud emerged. Authorities then positioned a drone in entrance of the window in an obvious try and test the situation of the trapped worker.
The Torre dei Conti was constructed in the thirteenth century by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his household. The tower was broken in a 1349 earthquake and suffered subsequent collapses in the seventeenth century.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli have been on the scene, however declined to talk with reporters.