Nicușor Dan, message after the death of the Romanian trapped under the ruins of the tower in Rome: “May God rest him in peace”
The Romanian worker trapped under the ruins of the Torre dei Conti tower in the center of Rome, died on the night of Monday to Tuesday, at the hospital. President Nicușor Dan sent a message of condolences, expressing his profound sadness at the tragedy that shook the Romanian community in Italy.
President Nicușor Dan's message after the death of the Romanian worker in Rome PHOTO: AFP
“I learned with deep sadness the news that the Romanian trapped under the ruins of the medieval tower in Rome died last night in the hospital. I send my condolences to the family and loved ones. My thoughts also go to all Romanians who work far from home, with dedication and sacrifice“, Nicușor Dan wrote on Facebook.
The president praised the effort of the Italian rescuers, who fought for over 11 hours to pull the man out from under the ruins. “I appreciate the impressive effort of the Italian rescue teams, who tried for over 11 hours to save his life. May God rest him in peace and bring comfort to the grieving family“, Nicușor Dan transmitted.
The man was pulled out from under the ruins conscious
Octav Stroici, aged 66, was originally from Suceava and lived on the outskirts of Rome. He was working on the conservation work of the Torre dei Conti tower, a medieval construction on the edge of the famous Roman Forum, near the Colosseum.
The tower, empty and abandoned for years, partially collapsed on Monday morning, and Stroici was trapped under the rubble for almost 12 hours. Italian rescue teams used drones and special equipment to rescue him in extremely dangerous conditions, with the 29-meter-tall tower in danger of collapsing again.
The man was pulled from the rubble at 11:00 p.m. local time, conscious and talking to rescuers. “His heart stopped in the ambulance”reported the representatives of the Umberto I hospital, where doctors tried for almost an hour to revive him. Death was pronounced at 00:20.
Reactions from Italy and Romania
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sent a message of condolences after learning the news: “I express my deep sadness and condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic death of Octav Stroici, the worker who died in the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome. We are with his family and colleagues in this moment of indescribable suffering”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bucharest confirmed that Stroici was a Romanian citizen and that another national was injured in the same incident and is now out of danger.
The public prosecutor's office in Rome has opened an investigation to establish the causes of the collapse. According to Italian authorities, there is no imminent danger of the entire structure collapsing.
