Worker rescued after medieval tower under renovation partly collapses in Rome

Rescuers have saved a worker who became trapped when the medieval tower he was helping renovate in Rome partly collapsed, city authorities say.

The worker was injured and taken to a hospital, with Rome’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri saying: “We hope that he will pull through.”

Rome Prefect Lamberto Giannini told reporters the worker was pulled from the rubble after “a long rescue mission”.

Part of the Torre dei Conti had collapsed shortly before midday, sending rubble into the street and a thick white cloud of dust into the air.

The trapped worker was a Romanian national who remained “conscious” while he was trapped, according to the Romanian foreign ministry.

Three other workers were earlier evacuated from the site, one of them in critical condition, a spokesman for the fire service told AFP.

Dust rises due to a second collapse of part of the medieval tower "Torre dei Conti" near the Roman Forum in the historic centre of Rome. Photo / Tiziana Fabi, AFP

The tower is in a busy area, just off the Imperial Forum and close to the Colosseum, Italy’s top tourist site.

A second partial collapse of the tower about one-and-a-half hours later sent up further billowing clouds of dust.

After the first collapse, firefighters managed to “put up some protection” around the trapped man, so when the second collapse occurred he was shielded, Giannini said.

One worker inside at the time of the first collapse told AFP he escaped from a balcony.

“It was not safe. I just want to go home,” said the man, white dust covering his uniform, who gave his name as Ottaviano and his age as 67.

The Torre dei Conti, dating from the early 13th century, was being restored with European Union funds.

Firefighters work on the site after a part of medieval tower "Torre dei Conti" collapsed near the Roman Forum. Photo / Tiziana Fabi, AFP

Monday’s collapses affected a buttress and part of the tower’s base, then part of the stairwell and the roof, Rome’s Directorate of Cultural Heritage said in a statement.

The phase of work launched in June 2025, which included asbestos removal, was practically complete.

The directorate said an analysis undertaken at the start of the renovations had shown “necessary safety conditions” for the work to go ahead.

The Italian Government summoned Russia’s ambassador after the Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman made a link between the accident and Russia’s support for Ukraine.

“As long as the Italian government keeps uselessly wasting taxpayers’ money, all of Italy will collapse, from the economy to its towers,” said the spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, on Telegram.

Italy’s Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, slammed Zakharova’s remarks as “shameful, unacceptable”.

– Agence France-Presse