‘Poor workmanship’ caused Bulebel wall collapse, architects find

A partial wall collapse at a Bulebel Industrial Estate building site was caused by "poor workmanship," an investigation by the Chamber of Architects has found.

The chamber said in a statement that the collapse was the result of “incorrect sequencing of works” by the contractor, including the failure to inflill and seal the perimeter walls, which were designed to support a slab before being cast.

No one was injured in the March 2025 collapse. 

The chamber noted that the project was “characterised by poor workmanship in other areas”, most notably mismatched wall joints near one of the corners of the site, due to the failure to build level masonry courses.

According to the chamber, the architect behind the project bore no responsibility for the collapse.

“From the evidence gathered, it is amply clear that the collapse did not occur as a result of negligent designs or instructions, or more generally due to any professional negligence on the perit’s part,” the statement says.

The chamber said that the correct execution of works falls under the exclusive responsibility of the contractor and/or licensed mason. It did not name the contractor involved. 

It said it is not the architect’s or civil engineer’s remit to perform quality control of works on construction sites, as this would constitute a conflict of responsibilities that would transfer the liabilities of the contractor onto the perit, and violate basic principles of impartiality and independence.

Last year, construction reform minister Jonathan Attard said the Building and Construction Authoritywill publish 17 building and construction codes over the span of three years.

The chamber of architects was tasked with leading efforts to draft the codes.

Priority will be given to codes related to the structural integrity of buildings and construction sites, and fire safety, Attard said.

The construction codes will have rules on demolition and excavation practices, scaffolding, noise reduction, and waste reduction and disposal.

Plans to draft building and construction codes follow recommendations made in the Jean Paul Sofia public inquiry. 

The inquiry found Sofia died in an essentially unregulated construction site and the state must bear responsibility for that.

In December 2022, the 20-year-old was killed after a Corradino construction site he was working in government-administered land collapsed.

Eight months later, and following public pressure, the government announced a public inquiry into the construction site death.