A worker who was trapped after part of a medieval tower collapsed in the heart of Rome has died, according to hospital officials.
Octay Stroici was pulled free at 23:00 local time (22:00 GMT), nearly twelve hours after a section of the Torre dei Conti, on the edge of the famous Roman Forum and close to the Colosseum, gave way and trapped him beneath.
His heart stopped in the ambulance, and doctors at the hospital he was rushed to were unable to save him. The Romanian foreign ministry stated Stroici was a Romanian national, as was another worker among three others pulled from the rubble; one is reported to be in critical condition.
Stroici's rescue was initially considered an exceptional feat by firefighters who worked late into the night. Rescue teams utilized drones and rubble clearers to reach him despite the risks that the fragile tower could collapse further. He had been conscious and talking to emergency workers throughout the ordeal, with his wife present at the scene.
Stroici had been performing conservation work on the medieval tower which, part of the Roman Forum, has been vacant and abandoned for many years. The Rome Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the incident.
Efforts to save Stroici were interrupted by a second collapse of the 29m (90ft) high tower, with bricks falling and creating a large cloud of dust. Earlier, Rome prefect Lamberto Giannini described the situation as 'very complex'. Following the initial collapse, firefighters had implemented protective measures around Stroici, which shielded him during the second incident.
Giannini explained that the rescue operation was prolonged due to the need to mitigate the risks faced by rescuers. One firefighter sustained an eye injury but the rest were unharmed, allowing them to continue their search for Stroici.
A police chief noted that there was no immediate danger of the tower disintegrating further. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her thoughts and condolences on social media for Stroici and his family during the rescue process.
Another worker, 67-year-old Ottaviano, who was inside during the incident but managed to escape from a balcony unharmed, remarked: 'It was not safe. I just want to go home.'
Rome's mayor and Italy's culture minister were present at the site following the collapse.
The 13th Century tower, originally built by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his brother, is a significant part of the Roman Forum, which is a major tourist attraction in central Rome, though it is somewhat isolated from the main visitor areas. Police have cordoned off the surrounding streets as a safety measure.
