Four years on, verdict not yet out on another case

The fatal collapse of part of an apartment block in Ramon Perellos Street, St Paul's Bay a week ago brought back ugly memories for the family of an elderly woman who had died buried under rubble in similar circumstances just over four years ago.

The family of the victim, Rita Vella, are still awaiting the outcome of court proceedings which they had instituted against a contractor, an architect and workers.

Mrs Vella's daughter, Carmen Pecorella, and son Joseph Vella said the recent incident made them relive their own tragedy. They said the court proceedings were taking too long and once they were concluded perhaps then they could try to put the ordeal at the back of their minds and live a normal life.

Mr Vella himself was injured when part of his mother's house in Cathedral Street, Sliema collapsed on April 12, 2000.

Mrs Vella was not so lucky: she was caught under the rubble and died in hospital some hours later.

Like the St Paul's Bay block, the house in Cathedral Street also stood next to a building plot where excavation work was in hand. On that occasion residents had also complained that the building was vibrating.

No activity was evident in Ramon Perellos Street, St Paul's Bay yesterday after Civil Protection Department personnel brought down the remaining parts of the collapsed building to remove any danger.

Sources said that tons of rubble still have to be cleared from the site to investigate the circumstances leading to the collapse which crushed retired teacher Mary Zarb, 60, and Nadya Vavilova, 24, her student.

A contractor from Birkirkara, an architect and workers involved in construction works at an adjacent site have been questioned by investigators.