The death of a worker at a Cospicua construction site is proof that we learnt nothing from the death of Miriam Pace in a house collapse in March, her daughter has said. 

While expressing sympathy with the 32-year-old Gambian and his relatives, Ivana Portelli said on Facebook that she was not surprised by the tragedy.

“It is clear that nothing changed to improve things over the past five months – on the contrary we saw an increase in fear among citizens who, in one way or another go through something similar.”

Portelli's 54-year-old mother was found buried under the rubble when her home collapsed due to construction next door on March 2.

Four men are being accused of causing Pace's death through negligence.

During the compilation of evidence against the men, Portelli told court that her mother was so worried about the development that she had sought medical help for anxiety in January and was prescribed tranquillisers.

On Thursday Portelli said that although victims initially felt empowered by “nice words”, unless backed by action those same words were frivolous.

A Gambian worker died at a Cospicua construction site on Thursday. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The woman said that Pace’s family has been calling for a public inquiry, but their pleas fell on dead ears. 

Unwillingness to learn from past events resulted in repeated tragedies: "yesterday it was my mum, today it was a worker in Cospicua. Who will it be tomorrow,” she asked.  

On Thursday, Cospicua residents ran out of their house in Sqaq l-Erwieħ when they heard "rubble falling" in the neighbouring construction site, some fearing for their lives after hearing of previous collapses. 

As word spread about the incident across the town, residents ran to the alley to check on their family members. There they were assured that it was a construction incident and no third parties were injured.

The Ħamrun collapse. Photo: Mark Zammit Cordina