VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Authorities have launched a formal investigation following the dramatic collapse of a block of flats in Paceville, the centre of rousing activity in St Julian’s, on Wednesday night, which saw 32 residents narrowly escape serious injury or death. Meanwhile major cracks in a residential building close to the collapsed structure have begun to worry neighbours about another potential incident. Authorities say that 40 more residents have been evacuated.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA), the Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA), and the police are working to determine the cause of the collapse and whether safety regulations were breached. Two police reports and one with the Building and Constructions Authority were filed before authorities evacuated the building that collapsed mere hours later.
The collapse occurred around 10:30pm on Paceville Road, St Julian’s, triggering an immediate response from emergency services. A timely evacuation, prompted by signs of structural instability, is credited with saving lives.
Central to the investigation is a dispute over the timeline of nearby demolition works. Excel Developments, the company behind the adjacent site, insists all works ceased on May 7. The developers, including Joseph Portelli, Mark Agius, and Daniel Refalo, claim they fully complied with all regulations.
However, video footage released by centrist political party Momentum suggests otherwise. Party leader Arnold Cassola presented evidence showing demolition works were still underway in late May and early June.
Excel has rejected Cassola’s claims as “false, malicious and libelous,” arguing that no adjacent works continued past May 7 and asserting that CCTV footage will support their timeline.
The BCA confirmed that a stop order was issued on June 10 — just one day before the evacuation and two days before the collapse — raising serious questions about Excel’s version of events.
The Chamber of Architects has also launched a disciplinary investigation to assess whether any architects may have acted negligently.
As authorities sift through evidence, public attention is now firmly focused on construction standards, regulatory oversight, and developer accountability in Malta’s rapidly expanding building sector.
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(ITALPRESS).
