The 30-metre medieval Torre dei Conti in central Rome partially collapsed during EU-funded restoration, trapping four construction workers. Three were rescued — one uninjured and two taken to hospital — while a fourth remained trapped but conscious and in serious condition after a second collapse. Firefighters withdrew amid fears the entire structure could fail; a drone and ladders were used to assess damage. Italy’s culture minister and Rome’s mayor were present as a delicate rescue operation continued.
Emergency in Rome: 800‑Year‑Old Torre dei Conti Partly Collapses During EU‑Funded Restoration — Workers Trapped
The 30-metre medieval Torre dei Conti in central Rome partially collapsed during EU-funded restoration, trapping four construction workers. Three were rescued — one uninjured and two taken to hospital — while a fourth remained trapped but conscious and in serious condition after a second collapse. Firefighters withdrew amid fears the entire structure could fail; a drone and ladders were used to assess damage. Italy’s culture minister and Rome’s mayor were present as a delicate rescue operation continued.
20:28, 03.11.2025Culture
Partial collapse of medieval Torre dei Conti traps workers in central Rome
A medieval stone tower in the heart of Rome, the Torre dei Conti, partially collapsed on Monday while undergoing restoration, leaving construction workers trapped under rubble.
The 30-metre tower — which has stood for roughly 800 years and sits just yards from the Roman Forum and the Colosseum — suffered an initial failure at about 11:30am. Soldiers, police and firefighters rushed to the scene to free the four workers on site. Rescue teams managed to pull three men clear after the first collapse: one was uninjured and two were taken to hospital with injuries.
Firefighters were still attempting to reach a fourth worker when a second collapse occurred. A large quantity of masonry fell, sending a thick cloud of dust into the air and prompting crews who had entered the tower to withdraw amid fears the entire structure might come down.
Lamberto Giannini, the chief of police in Rome, said: “There is a person who is still trapped under the rubble, but there are indications that he is still alive. Every effort is being made to save him — that is clearly the priority — but it is a delicate operation. There is a very high risk of further collapses.”
Rescuers used extended ladders to reach higher levels, and a drone was observed entering the tower through a window to assess internal damage. Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, and Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, visited the scene as emergency operations continued.
Location and history
The Torre dei Conti stands on Via dei Fori Imperiali, the broad avenue that cuts through the ancient imperial quarter from Piazza Venezia toward the Colosseum. The tower was built in the early 13th century on the order of Pope Innocent III as a fortified family residence; its core rests on remains of the Temple of Peace dating from 858 AD.
Known in the past as the Torre Maggiore for its greater original height, the tower once rose to about 60 metres before being reduced by centuries of earthquakes. It was restored in the 17th century under Pope Alexander VIII and has been repeatedly damaged by seismic events.
At the time of Monday’s incident it was undergoing renovation financed by the European Union, with scaffolding on one side and yellow plastic chutes fitted for debris disposal. Emergency crews warned the operation to free the remaining worker is delicate and risky because of the potential for further collapses.