Rome's Medieval Tower Collapses, Injuring Worker in Dramatic Rescue Effort
A centuries-old medieval tower in the heart of Rome has partially collapsed during renovations, critically injuring one worker and trapping another. The Torre dei Conti, a 13th-century residence for Pope Innocent III's family, suffered a partial collapse on Monday morning as firefighters attempted to rescue a trapped worker.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with hundreds of tourists watching in horror as firefighters struggled to reach the upper level of the tower. A rescue team used a mobile ladder to bring a stretcher to the site, but another part of the structure partially collapsed, sending debris flying and forcing the firefighters to retreat.
"It was like falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way," said Queen Paglinawan, 27, who works at a nearby gelato parlor. "I heard some loud noises from the town in quick succession." German student Viktoria Braeu passed by the scene just as the partial collapse occurred, describing it as an "explosive" moment.
Firefighters attempted to approach the first-floor window on mobile ladders but were quickly pulled back when dust emerged. Authorities then positioned a drone at the scene to assess the condition of the trapped worker. The tower has a history of collapses, having suffered damage in a 1349 earthquake and subsequent partial collapses in the 17th century.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli were present at the scene but declined to speak with reporters. The injured workers are being treated in critical condition, while three others were rescued unharmed.
A centuries-old medieval tower in the heart of Rome has partially collapsed during renovations, critically injuring one worker and trapping another. The Torre dei Conti, a 13th-century residence for Pope Innocent III's family, suffered a partial collapse on Monday morning as firefighters attempted to rescue a trapped worker.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with hundreds of tourists watching in horror as firefighters struggled to reach the upper level of the tower. A rescue team used a mobile ladder to bring a stretcher to the site, but another part of the structure partially collapsed, sending debris flying and forcing the firefighters to retreat.
"It was like falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way," said Queen Paglinawan, 27, who works at a nearby gelato parlor. "I heard some loud noises from the town in quick succession." German student Viktoria Braeu passed by the scene just as the partial collapse occurred, describing it as an "explosive" moment.
Firefighters attempted to approach the first-floor window on mobile ladders but were quickly pulled back when dust emerged. Authorities then positioned a drone at the scene to assess the condition of the trapped worker. The tower has a history of collapses, having suffered damage in a 1349 earthquake and subsequent partial collapses in the 17th century.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli were present at the scene but declined to speak with reporters. The injured workers are being treated in critical condition, while three others were rescued unharmed.
. It's like, we think we're in control of our lives and our surroundings, but nature's got a way of humbling us. The Torre dei Conti's collapse is a stark warning to be mindful of our limitations and respect the unpredictability of life.
. Those workers who risk their lives for others are truly heroes, but they need our support and care in return. Let's not forget that behind every dramatic rescue effort, there are people whose well-being is at stake.
. We often take these structures for granted, but they're actually testaments to human ingenuity and perseverance over centuries.
like, shouldn't these places be designed for human life instead of historical relics? or maybe it's just the tourists who are really the problem - they're always gawking at the old stuff without considering if it's safe. also, drone surveillance is just too cool right now 
I mean, can't we have some exciting news for once without a collapsed building?
i hope the guy who got hurt is gonna be ok 
its like they say when you renovate an old place something can go wrong but not like this 
anyone know if they're gonna rebuild it or leave it as is? seems like a pretty big deal for italian history and tourism lol guess that's what happens when u renovate old buildings 
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[1] i feel bad for the guy who was hurt too hope he recovers soon 
meanwhile, authorities are being super cautious with drones to assess the damage 
[2] doesn't seem like a good day for tourism in rome 
but not actually doing much to improve infrastructure.
. is there something they're not telling us? it looks like a classic case of 'they don't want the truth coming out'. i'm all for keeping the city safe, but we need answers on how this happened in the first place.
. is that just a fancy way of saying they're not trained enough? or are they trying to save face after this disaster?
and the fact that it happened during renovation work is like, a huge red flag... shouldn't've been allowed to happen in the first place 
can you believe the tower's had issues before too? 1349 earthquake? yikes! gotta wonder how they're gonna fix this or even if they will 
so much hope for the injured workers, fingers crossed they pull through 
I was walking by the gelato parlor where one of the eyewitnesses works and I saw her freaking out afterwards... poor thing 
So glad the rescuers were able to act fast and get everyone out safely... fingers crossed those injured workers are gonna be okay 
I mean, 1349 earthquake? That's crazy! They need to review those renovation plans ASAP, it's just not safe for workers or tourists. The drone thing is actually kinda genius though, at least they're thinking outside the box (or in this case, tower). 
Fingers crossed that both workers make a full recovery and get back on their feet soon! 
this is such a scary moment for everyone involved... i can only imagine how terrifying it must've been for those witnesses who saw the tower collapse right before their eyes... 
i hope he's gonna be okay, and that his coworker recovers from their injuries too... 
I'm shocked that the rescue team was able to act fast and get someone out, but also super sad that others got hurt. I mean, I know it's all part of renovation work and whatnot, but still. Did you see that video of the drone assessing the damage from above? Wild!