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A construction worker was trapped beneath rubble Monday after Rome’s medieval Torre dei Conti partially collapsed during renovations, sending debris crashing down near the Roman Forum. The 13th century tower gave way around midday local time, critically injuring one worker and trapping another while tourists watched firefighters attempt a rescue, The Associated Press (AP) reported, citing firefighter spokesman Luca Cari. Three other workers escaped without injuries, he said. Rescue crews used a mobile ladder to reach the tower’s upper level with a stretcher but retreated when another section collapsed during their attempt. The second collapse sent up a dust cloud that forced firefighters back to safety. “I was working and then I heard some like falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way,” said Queen Paglinawan, 27, who works at a gelato shop in the vicinity. (RELATED: Insane Video Shows Bangkok Road Collapsing To Create Gargantuan Sinkhole In ‘End Of World’ Moment) Hours after the initial collapse, the trapped worker remained inside. A second attempt was made with multiple ladders before it was aborted, prompting the deployment of a drone t0 assess conditions. Prefect Lamberto Giannini, the highest-ranking law enforcement official in Rome, said the trapped worker had shown “signs of life” and firefighters were able to provide him protective cover. Calling the matter “very complex,” he said additional equipment was on the way. “It will be a very long operation. We must try to save this person while mitigating the enormous risks to the people who are trying to save them,” he told the press. German tourist Viktoria Braeu, 18, witnessed the second collapse while walking from the Colosseum. “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,” she said, according to the outlet. Pope Innocent III, seeking to secure his position of authority over Rome and the Papal States, ordered the construction of the Torre dei Conti as a military fortification and placed it under the responsibility of his brother Richard, according to Britannica. The structure suffered damage in a 1349 earthquake and experienced collapses in the 1600s, the AP reported. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli arrived at the scene but did not address the press. No firefighters were hurt.
