Rescue efforts underway at construction site.
At least three construction workers died and two others were left missing on Friday after a concrete pillar collapsed at a building site in the Italian city of Florence.
Italy’s premier Giorgia Meloni offered condolences on behalf of the Italian government “to the families affected by this terrible tragedy” and said she was following developments “with apprehension”.
A nome mio e del Governo esprimo cordoglio per le vittime del crollo di una trave avvenuto in un cantiere a Firenze. Seguo con apprensione l’evolversi della situazione e ringrazio quanti stanno partecipando alle ricerche dei dispersi e alle operazioni di soccorso dei feriti. Le…— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) February 16, 2024
Florence mayor Dario Nardella has proclaimed a day of mourning in the city on Saturday.
“We are shocked at what happened”, said Esselunga president Marina Caprotti who offered her “deepest condolences” to the families of the victims and said that Esselunga shops in Florence would close on Friday afternoon as a mark of respect.
Italian trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL have called a general strike in Tuscany for the last two hours of the day’s shift on Friday, in protest over the tragedy, news agency ANSA reports.
Local residents told Florence newspaper La Nazione of their shock at hearing a “big bang” at around 08.30, a noise so loud that some mistook it initially for a bomb or an earthquake.
#Firenze, crollo del solaio di un prefabbricato in un cantiere edile a Nord-Ovest della città: dai #vigilidelfuoco #USAR sono stati estratti in vita tra le macerie 3 operai. Squadre al lavoro dalle 9 per le operazioni di soccorso [#16febbraio 10:45] pic.twitter.com/OCQBZm8MjH— Vigili del Fuoco (@vigilidelfuoco) February 16, 2024
The new supermarket is being built on the site of a former military bakery which supplied barracks in the city until 1936 before being used as warehouse and garage in subsquent decades.
The site was decommissioned in the 1970s and had been abandoned for the past 50 years.
Photo La Repubblica Firenze