Rome Rescuers Face Daunting Task as Man Trapped in Partly Collapsed Medieval Tower
In a dramatic turn of events, emergency responders are racing against time to rescue a man trapped on an upper floor of Rome's historic Torre dei Conti, which partly collapsed during renovations. The 64-year-old worker suffered critical injuries when the initial collapse hit him, prompting immediate medical attention.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene as chaotic, with hundreds of tourists and passersby gathering to watch the rescue efforts. Firefighters flew a drone into the tower to assess the situation before attempting to pull the trapped man to safety. "We're facing a very long and complex operation," said Lamberto Giannini, Rome prefect. "The risk of collapse is extremely high, but our priority is to save this human life."
Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and seeing clouds of dust as the tower collapsed twice during the renovations. One witness, Ottaviano, 67, narrowly escaped with his life after falling from a balcony during the first collapse. "It was not safe," he said, shaken. "I just want to go home."
The Torre dei Conti, built in the 13th century by Richard Conti, has been a source of concern for experts due to its fragile structure. The restoration works, financed by EU funds, aimed to make the building more secure. However, the recent collapse has raised questions about the effectiveness of these measures.
As the rescue operation continues, officials are urging caution and cautioning against speculation about the cause of the collapse. "It's a very important monument," said Caterina, an onlooker. "Maybe something was hit during the works that destabilised the structure."
The area surrounding the Torre dei Conti has been cordoned off, with tourist hotspots like the Roman Forum and Piazza Venezia closed due to safety concerns. The Italian government has sent in its culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, and mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, to oversee the rescue efforts.
As the world watches anxiously, one thing is clear: time is running out for the trapped man, and the fate of his life hangs precariously in the balance.
In a dramatic turn of events, emergency responders are racing against time to rescue a man trapped on an upper floor of Rome's historic Torre dei Conti, which partly collapsed during renovations. The 64-year-old worker suffered critical injuries when the initial collapse hit him, prompting immediate medical attention.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene as chaotic, with hundreds of tourists and passersby gathering to watch the rescue efforts. Firefighters flew a drone into the tower to assess the situation before attempting to pull the trapped man to safety. "We're facing a very long and complex operation," said Lamberto Giannini, Rome prefect. "The risk of collapse is extremely high, but our priority is to save this human life."
Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang and seeing clouds of dust as the tower collapsed twice during the renovations. One witness, Ottaviano, 67, narrowly escaped with his life after falling from a balcony during the first collapse. "It was not safe," he said, shaken. "I just want to go home."
The Torre dei Conti, built in the 13th century by Richard Conti, has been a source of concern for experts due to its fragile structure. The restoration works, financed by EU funds, aimed to make the building more secure. However, the recent collapse has raised questions about the effectiveness of these measures.
As the rescue operation continues, officials are urging caution and cautioning against speculation about the cause of the collapse. "It's a very important monument," said Caterina, an onlooker. "Maybe something was hit during the works that destabilised the structure."
The area surrounding the Torre dei Conti has been cordoned off, with tourist hotspots like the Roman Forum and Piazza Venezia closed due to safety concerns. The Italian government has sent in its culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, and mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, to oversee the rescue efforts.
As the world watches anxiously, one thing is clear: time is running out for the trapped man, and the fate of his life hangs precariously in the balance.
. I mean, can you imagine being stuck in a medieval tower that's literally falling apart? 
The whole situation is just so chaotic and intense - all those people watching from the sidelines must be on edge 
. And poor Ottaviano, narrowly escaping with his life... that's just traumatic 
.
. The fact that it was renovated recently and still collapsed is just crazy 
. EU funds are meant for big projects, not crumbling structures 
.
. I hope they can pull off this rescue without any more mishaps... fingers crossed 
.
The poor guy who's stuck up there must be freaking out 
! The rescue team is doing everything they can, but it's like a super long and hard puzzle 
to figure out how to get him down safely 
. And omg, the EU funded restoration was supposed to make the building more secure 
... now what?!? 
I'm sending all my positive vibes up to Rome 
for a safe rescue and speedy recovery 
but also gotta be safe for tourists 
anyone worried about the rescue op 
hope they get him out ASAP 
i mean eu funds are meant for good things not to save some old building its like they're trying to play hero here but its just common sense to make sure the thing is solid first anyone know what's going on with the tower before the renovations started? 
this is a nightmare come true - a medieval tower partially collapsing during renovations is just too much to handle... i mean, what's with all these safety measures supposed to do? 
should've been more rigorous inspections beforehand 
. The authorities are trying their best, but I don't know if they can pull off this rescue mission without anything going wrong 
Anyway, fingers crossed for the guy trapped in there...may he make it out alive 
i hope they get to him ASAP, like really soon 
gotta keep fingers crossed 
. Like, they were literally watching the collapse on their phones and stuff 
.
. Like, how does a structure that's 800+ years old even collapse in the first place? 
. 
. The EU funding and restoration works should've been a good thing, but it looks like they still have their work cut out for them 
. I guess you could say the rescue mission is a bit of a #crisis-management situation... get it? Crisis... management... Okay, moving on.