No injuries after scaffolding, part of building collapse in Gżira
Nobody was injured after scaffolding and the façade of a building which was under construction gave way and collapsed in Gżira.
A police spokesperson confirmed with The Malta Independent that the incident happened at Triq Belvedere, Gżira, at around 1pm on Tuesday.
The police also confirmed that the building was not somebody’s home, and that nobody was injured in the incident.
Officials from the Civil Protection Department went on site immediately to search for any injured people.
Witnesses at the scene who narrowly missed being seriously injured described the “huge” crash the collapse made, with dust billowing everywhere.
Another witness said that the building had been in a “sorry state” for ages, describing it as just a façade holding on for dear life.
Justice Minister Jonathan Attard said after the incident that the Building and Construction Authority and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority have issued stop orders for works on the construction site whose façade and scaffolding collapsed earlier this afternoon.
Giving an update on the incident in Parliament, Attard confirmed that the BCA and the OHSA are both conducting their own research and investigations over the collapse.
The BCA will also look into whether there were any breaches in the method statement of the site, and will take the necessary steps if there were breaches.
Attard also confirmed that nobody was injured. He was informed that there had been a worker on site who was not there at the time of the incident.
PN MP Albert Buttigieg asked the Minister if it was high time that the BCA adopts a more proactive approach, rather than a reactive one, such as more frequent inspections from time to time.
Attard said that the BCA’s approach is a proactive one, but they cannot be expected to be there whenever an accident happens. He continued that investment will continue, especially towards human resources at the BCA, to keep up its preventative approach.