Collapse of building in Rome: investigation underway for injuries and negligent disaster

The Monteverde neighborhood of Rome was the scene of a dramatic building collapse that shattered the tranquility of the area. Yesterday morning, Sunday 23, around 8.45, a violent explosion caused the collapse of a three-story building located between via Vitellia and via Pio Foà, near Villa PamphiliThe explosion caused the serious injury to a 54-year-old Scottish tourist, Grant Paterson, who was pulled alive from the rubble by firefighters with burns to over 70% of his body.

Investigations and hypotheses

The Rome Prosecutor's Office has an investigation has been launched for negligent injury and negligent disaster, with a file currently against unknown persons. Deputy Prosecutor Giovanni Conzo is coordinating the investigation, while the Carabinieri of the Trastevere Company are collecting testimonies and evidence useful for clarifying the causes of the explosion. The public prosecutor on duty carried out an inspection and ordered the seizure of the property.

The main hypothesis is that of a gas leak, but the precise dynamics of the explosion remain to be established: it could have been a cylinder or a malfunction of the methane system. Italgas has communicated that the meters of the building are intact, an element that further complicates the investigation.

The dramatic rescue and the tourist's conditions

Grant Paterson, guest of a B&B located in the collapsed building, was rescued and transported in red code to the Sant'Eugenio hospital. His condition remains critical: He suffered third-degree burns over 75% of his body and was intubated in the burn unit, placed on mechanical ventilation. Surgeons have already performed an initial operation to remove fragments from his body. His last social media post, just hours before the disaster, read: “I hope it’s a good week, if I don’t get killed somehow.”

The intervention of the authorities

After the explosion, the surrounding area was cordoned off by local police to allow rescue operations and prevent further danger.. Neighboring buildings were evacuated and firefighters inspected the stability of adjacent structures. The mayor of Rome, Roberto Gualtieri, went to the site to closely follow the developments of the situation and declared that the first findings indicate a probable gas leak.. He also stressed that the explosion damaged part of the wall of Villa Pamphili.

Testimonies and first revelations

Residents in the area described the scene as “hell.”A very loud bang woke us up, the windows shook and a cloud of dust rose into the sky“, said a resident. The children of the neighborhood, terrified, thought it was an attack.

Among the testimonies collected, one that stands out is that of the writer Roberto Saviano, who until a few weeks ago lived in the collapsed building. In a message posted on social media, Saviano reassured friends and acquaintances: “I had not lived at 43 Via Vitellia for days. How heartbreaking to see a place where I loved to live in ruins".

Next steps in the investigation

In the next few hours, The Prosecutor's Office will receive detailed information from the Carabinieri and the Fire Brigade, containing the first results of the technical analyses at the scene of the disasterInvestigators are trying to pinpoint the exact location of the explosion and whether there were any lapses in the building's security systems.

In parallel, the compliance of the accommodation facilities in the building, including the B&B where the victim was staying, with safety regulations is being verified, particularly with regard to gas systems and emergency procedures.

The collapse of the Monteverde building raises questions about the safety of Rome's historic buildings and the need for more stringent controls on gas systems. As Scottish tourist fights for life in hospital, Authorities are continuing their investigations to identify responsibilities and prevent similar tragedies from happening again.