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Workers Hurt in Partial Tower Collapse Close to the Colosseum

Part of the Torre dei Conti tower near the Colosseum, in Rome, Italy, has collapsed.

A worker was rushed to hospital with serious injuries and another was trapped beneath rubble after part of a centuries-old tower collapsed during renovation work. The 29-meter Torre dei Conti—an early 13th-Century landmark—buckled twice during the incident, according to videos posted online. Each collapse sent thick clouds of dust bursting from its windows as masonry crashed down. The second came while firefighters were already inside, working from aerial ladders. “We are trying to get him out alive but the situation is complex because of the risk of further collapses,” said national fire department spokesman Luca Cari. Regional President Francesco Rocca said the hospitalized worker’s condition was not life-threatening. Two others sustained minor injuries but refused hospital treatment. The tower remains standing but suffered “significant internal damage,” officials said. It has been vacant since 2006 and was under restoration as part of a four-year project due to finish next year. City authorities said the surrounding area was closed to pedestrians because of the construction work. The tower, built by Pope Innocent III for his family, once stood twice as tall before earthquakes in the 14th and 17th Centuries forced it to be reduced in height.