Worker dies after being trapped under collapsed medieval tower near Rome's Colosseum
13th-century Torre dei Conti was undergoing EU-funded restoration works.
A Romanian construction worker trapped for 11 hours beneath the rubble of the Torre dei Conti, a medieval tower in central Rome, has died, authorities said on Tuesday.
Parts of the 29-metre (95-foot) tower, located just steps from the Colosseum, collapsed on Monday morning, with a second partial collapse occurring 90 minutes later while firefighters were already on site, videos on social media showed.
Emergency crews managed to pull the worker out late Monday, but he suffered cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead early Tuesday, according to the hospital. The victim was identified as Octav Stroici, the Romanian Foreign Ministry confirmed in a statement on X, expressing condolences to his family.
A second Romanian worker was rescued soon after the first collapse and remains hospitalized with serious head injuries, while two others sustained minor wounds. No firefighters were hurt.
Historic tower under restoration
The Torre dei Conti, built in the early 13th century by Pope Innocent III for his family, was once one of Rome's tallest structures (originally twice its current height) before earthquakes in the 14th and 17th centuries forced partial demolitions.
The tower, which had been closed since 2006, was being renovated as part of a four-year EU-funded project to convert it into a museum and conference space. The site, along Via dei Fori Imperiali, remains cordoned off.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences, while officials confirmed that structural assessments are underway to determine the stability of the remaining tower.
