Two Workers Plunge Down Apartment Block Shaft in Republic Street Incident

Imagine standing on Republic Street, Malta’s bustling main thoroughfare, looking up at the towering apartment blocks that line the street. Now imagine two workers, high up on one of those blocks, suddenly disappearing from view. This was the scene that unfolded yesterday morning, leaving passersby shocked and emergency services scrambling.

Plunging into Darkness

At around 10:30 AM, two workers, employed by a local construction company, were carrying out maintenance work on the exterior of an apartment block at 133 Republic Street. According to eyewitnesses, the men were on a narrow ledge when a section of the ledge gave way, sending them plunging down the shaft that runs through the center of the building.

The shaft, a common feature in older Maltese apartment blocks, was designed to provide light and ventilation to the apartments below. However, in this case, it became a deadly trap. The workers fell approximately 10 meters before landing on a pile of debris that had accumulated at the bottom of the shaft over the years.

Rescue Operation Launched

Emergency services were quickly on the scene. Firefighters from the nearby St. John’s Co-Cathedral station were the first to arrive, followed by an ambulance crew. The firefighters, equipped with specialist climbing gear, descended into the shaft to reach the injured workers.

It was a delicate operation. The shaft was narrow, and the debris made it difficult to access the workers. there were concerns about the structural integrity of the building, with fears that further debris could collapse into the shaft.

A Miracle Escape

After a tense 45 minutes, the firefighters were able to reach the workers. Both men were conscious and able to speak, but they were trapped under heavy debris. It took another hour for the firefighters to carefully remove the debris and extract the workers.

Both workers were then taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where they were treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries. They are expected to make a full recovery.

Investigation Launched

The incident has sparked an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA). The authority has sealed off the site and is conducting a thorough inspection of the building’s exterior. Neighbors have reported that the ledge where the workers were working had appeared unstable for some time, raising questions about the building’s maintenance.

In the meantime, the apartment block’s residents have been left shaken. “We’re lucky it wasn’t worse,” said one resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “We need to make sure our homes are safe.”