Gżira building collapses, no one injured

Updated at 3:20pm with information on proposed development 

No one has been injured after a building collapsed in Belvedere Road, Gżira, the police has said.

A spokesperson said the accident happened at around 1:30pm.

Rescue workers are onsite searching for injured people that might have been inside the building during the collapse.

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

A business woman working in the vicinity explained how she heard a loud noise as the building collapsed.

“The next thing we saw was a large dust cloud and we were ordered to evacuate,” she said.

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Another witness who spoke to this newspaper said the building has been in a bad state for a while.

Officials from both the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA) are also onsite.

Collapsed building part of proposed hotel

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

The collapsed building forms part of the site of a proposed ten storey hotel with 116 rooms which was given final approval by the Planning Authority in 2023 following changes to an earlier permit issued in 2020.

The permit was issued to developer Kris Calleja  proposed the demolition of the existing buildings and the dismantling of the facade which was to be re-erected at a later stage.

Photo: James Bianchi/MaltaToday

Part of the site had already been excavated following the issue of the first permit.

The clearance to commence the works for the demolition of the last houses was issued by the Building and Construction Authority in November. A method statement presented by architect Colin Zammit in August states that piles will be necessary to stabilise third party buildings and prepare foundations that are on solid rock. 

The report warns that the material between the piles should not be removed and should not be allowed to dry. The adjacent houses were inspected and photographed before the start of the works.  The report states that the area is known for its “weak geological strata” especially in the first 3 meters below ground.

Following the incident a stop notice was issued by the BCA to stop all works except to render the site and street safe.

Isabelle Bonnici reacts 

Later on Tuesday, Isabelle Bonnici who had fought for a public inqiury into the death of her son Jean Paul Sofia after a construction site collapse, stated on Facebook, "Here we go again."

"Must we wait for a report from the public inquiry before we do something?" Bonnici further questioned whether those on the Gżira construction site were qualified to work there, and whether or not the site architect carried out his duties.