Miriam Pace neighbours in call for damages from developers, contractors and architects

The owners of three properties adjacent to a construction site, alleged to have caused the 2020 building collapse which claimed the life of Miriam Pace, have started court proceedings of their own against the developers and contractors involved in that case, claiming compensation for structural damage caused to their property.

In two judicial protests registered this morning before the First Hall of the Civil Court, the Zerafa family, represented by lawyer Matthew Bondin and the Sammut, Rapa and Portelli Hale families represented by lawyer Marycien Vassallo, requested damages from MCZM Developers Ltd, its directors Elton Joseph Caurana, Malcolm Mallia, Matthias Mallia, Amanda Muscat, Christopher Zarb and Simon Zarb, as well as contractor LK Limited and its owner Ludwig Dimech, architects Roderick Camilleri and  Anthony Mangion and LK Ltd employee Nicholas Spiteri, in default of which, a court case would be filed.

Miriam Pace had been found dead beneath the rubble of her house that collapsed on 2 March 2020. Pace's lifeless body was located after a search and dug out of the rubble by rescuers.

The plaintiffs said that although their properties had been damaged in the incident, no construction or repair works had been carried out on their properties since the day of the fatal collapse, explaining that this was causing them to suffer both pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages. They invited the defendants to compensate them for damage to their properties.

Pace’s heirs’ civil case for damages has been settled out of court, but four of the defendants are facing ongoing criminal proceedings in which they are accused of negligently causing Pace's death - a charge that carries a maximum punishment of four years in jail.