Part of medieval tower near Colosseum collapses during renovation - VIDEO
Part of a historic medieval tower just steps from the Colosseum collapsed Monday morning in central Rome, triggering a major emergency response and leaving at least one worker trapped under rubble.
The Torre dei Conti — built in 1238 under Pope Innocent III and located between the Roman Forum and Via dei Fori Imperiali — was undergoing government-funded restoration when a section crumbled around 11:30 a.m. local time, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Firefighters rushed to the scene with ladder trucks and specialized rescue units. Three workers stranded on the tower were safely evacuated from an upper level, while a fourth was pulled out after being stuck inside the structure. Authorities confirmed one more person remained trapped as search-and-rescue efforts continued.
The collapse happened in one of Rome’s most visited archaeological zones, just meters from the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums, prompting police to seal off nearby streets and halt traffic. Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, visited the site as experts from the Capitoline Superintendency assessed the damage.
The tower had been abandoned for years before restoration work began under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Officials have not yet disclosed the cause of the collapse or the full extent of the structural damage.
Rescue crews remain at the scene in the heart of the Eternal City's historic centre, working to locate the missing worker as stunned tourists and residents look on at one of Rome’s most iconic archaeological corridors.
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