House roof next to construction site collapses in Mosta
BCA halts works next door, but revokes stop works notice within hours
Updated 2.30pm
A roof collapsed at an old house next to a construction site in Mosta early on Wednesday, prompting authorities to temporarily order a halt to works before revoking that order.
It was the second such incident this week after the collapse of two balconies in Qawra in the early hours of Monday.
The latest incident happened at Triq l-Isperanza in Mosta on Tuesday night at around 4am, when the roof over the first floor collapsed onto the floor below, which just held on with the weight of the debris.
A man who was in the building with his dog was unhurt.
"I was woken up by a loud noise," tenant Jesmond Camilleri said, adding that he has now been ordered to move out, for safety reasons.
Demolition and construction works are being carried out in an equally old building next door.
The ground floor ceiling just held on with the weight of the debris from the collapse above. The Building Construction Authority and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority both ordered an immediate stop to the neighbour's works.
But within hours they revoked that order, effectively allowing works next door to resume.
Informed sources said no works were carried out at the construction site since December and that the collapse was the most likely unrelated to those works.
The BCA and OHSA reminded the public to phone 138 to seek information or report abuse related to construction works.