Romanian Worker Dies After Partial Collapse of Rome's Medieval Torre dei Conti

A Romanian construction worker named Octay Stroici died after being trapped for several hours under rubble following the partial collapse of the medieval Torre dei Conti in central Rome, near the Colosseum. The tower, undergoing a multi-million euro EU-funded restoration project, collapsed twice within 90 minutes during restoration work, with the second collapse occurring while firefighters were attempting to stabilize the structure. Despite a prolonged and complex rescue effort involving aerial ladders and a drone, Stroici succumbed to his injuries shortly after being freed and transported to the hospital. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Romanian President Nicușor Dan expressed condolences and highlighted support for the victim's family and other workers affected. Another Romanian worker was rescued with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, while two others sustained minor injuries. Italian prosecutors have seized the construction site and launched an investigation into the cause of the collapse, with preliminary safety checks reportedly confirming the structure's stability before the work began.