Torre dei Conti was undergoing restoration; Octay Stroici was pulled from the rubble still alive after 11 hours, but he succumbed to his injuries
A worker died after being rescued from the rubble of the Torre dei Conti, a medieval structure near the Colosseum in Rome. The incident occurred on Monday (3.Nov.2025), during restoration work on the historic building.
Octay Stroici, 66, was pulled from the rubble alive after an operation that lasted almost 11 hours, but he succumbed to his injuries and died when he was admitted to hospital, according to the Italian newspaper .
The collapse was recorded before noon (local time), when part of a wall of the medieval tower collapsed. There was a second partial collapse while firefighters were completing the initial rescue. It was this 2nd collapse that trapped Stroici under the rubble, as reported by .
According to Rome municipal authorities, the first collapse affected the central buttress on the south side of the tower, causing part of the base to collapse. The 2nd compromised part of the staircase and the roof.
The tower was undergoing restoration work when the incident occurred. Phase 1 had begun in June this year and involved asbestos removal and preliminary work. The complete project aimed to structural reinforcement as part of a general renovation, being carried out by two companies.
In addition to Stroici, 3 other workers were removed after the collapse. One of them was hospitalized and 2 suffered minor injuries, according to official information. Around 140 firefighters participated in the rescue.
The Prime Minister of Italy, (Brothers of Italy, right), spoke about the tragedy. In , she stated: “I express deep regret and condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic loss of Octay Stroici, the worker who was killed in the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome. We are close to his family and colleagues at this time of unspeakable suffering.”
The Torre dei Conti is almost 30 meters high and is located close to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, in the historic center of Rome. The structure was used by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his family in the 13th century. Its base was built on the ruins of the Temple of Peace, built in the 1st century, in the Roman Forum.
The tower was used to house municipal offices until 2006 and is currently only 1/3 of its original height.
After the collapse, police barriers blocked the streets leading to the tower, while emergency vehicles and several fire trucks surrounded the base of the structure.
The informs that the tower was in ““total abandonment” in recent years, and approximately €7 million has been earmarked for its restoration. Funds from the (European Union) had been set aside for the project.
The tower was scheduled to reopen in 2026 after a 4-year restoration project. The structure was to become a service center for the adjacent archaeological area.
Watch the images published on social media:
❌️, the worker stuck under the rubble following the collapse of the Torre dei Conti was rescued from life and entrusted to the health workers to be transported to the hospital. 140 units of the National Corps operated on site [ 23:00]
— Fire Brigade (@vigilidelfuoco)
🏛️🚨BREAKING: A section of an ancient tower collapses in central Rome
Part of the medieval Torre dei Conti has fallen at the Imperial Forums, right in the heart of Rome.
Rescuers are searching the rubble for possible victims.
The 13th-century architectural monument was…— NEXTA (@nexta_tv)
The images that tell what is happening in Largo Corrado Ricci are dramatic.
There is great apprehension and concern about the two consecutive collapses that affected the Torre dei Conti in the area of the Fori Imperiali archaeological park in just a few hours.
Before…— Luciano Nobili (@lucianonobili)
Rome, part of the Torre dei Conti at the Imperial Forum collapsed: one worker is seriously ill. The moment of the second collapse
— Il Foglio (@ilfoglio_it)
