Rome’s 13th-century tower 'Torre dei Conti' collapses; one worker killed, 3 injured

A Romanian worker rescued from the rubble of a medieval tower that partially collapsed in central Rome has died, Italian media reported on Tuesday (Nov 4), citing hospital officials. The man, identified as 43-year-old Octay Stroici, had been conscious during a long and difficult rescue operation after Monday’s (Nov 3) collapse of the Torre dei Conti — a 13th-century landmark near the Colosseum. He was rushed to Umberto I hospital in critical condition, but later died despite repeated resuscitation efforts. "Resuscitation attempts were made for about an hour to save Octay Stroici," Italian news agency ANSA quoted hospital sources as saying. "Despite this, spontaneous cardiac activity could not be restored" and his "death was pronounced at 12:20 am."

What happened?

As per reports, Stroici had been helping with European Union-funded restoration efforts to renovate the Torre dei Conti. Just before noon on Monday, the 13th-century tower collapsed partially, sending debris crashing into the street and a thick white cloud rising over the historic centre.

A second partial collapse, roughly 90 minutes later, sent up more dust and debris. Firefighters said they had managed to erect a protective barrier around the tower before the second collapse, which likely prevented more serious injuries to others.

Three workers, apart from Stroici, were rescued, one of them also in critical condition, according to the fire service. "It was not safe. I just want to go home," said 67-year-old Ottaviano, who managed to escape from a balcony.

Rome’s Directorate of Cultural Heritage said the collapses affected a buttress, part of the tower’s base, its stairwell, and part of the roof. The restoration phase that began in June 2025 — including asbestos removal — was nearly complete, and prior safety checks had found no major risks.

Russia mocks Italy

The incident has also sparked a diplomatic spat after Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova appeared to mock Italy, linking the collapse to Rome’s support for Ukraine. "As long as the Italian government keeps uselessly wasting taxpayers' money, all of Italy will collapse, from the economy to its towers," she wrote on Telegram. Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, condemned the remarks as "shameful and unacceptable" and summoned the Russian ambassador to protest.