Part of Xemxija road caves into adjacent construction site
The road collapsed weeks after a stop-work order was issued on a new building project
Updated at 5.53 pm with comments from Joseph Portelli spokesperson
Part of a road in Xemxija caved into an adjacent construction site on Thursday afternoon, weeks after a stop-work order was issued on the same site.
The collapse occurred near a block of apartments surrounding the construction site.
No injuries were reported.
The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) told Times of Malta it is investigating the case, although no evacuations have been ordered so far.
A BCA spokesperson said the authority received a report that part of Triq is-Simar in Xemxija collapsed at around 2.30pm. It is understood that the road, which is gated and restricted to the public, was not in use when the surface caved in.
The collapse comes weeks after the BCA and the Occupational Health and Safety Authority issued a stop-works order on demolition works in a construction area following reports of a collapsed wall.
Times of Malta is informed that the construction site beneath it is being developed by Portelli Projects.
A spokesperson for Joseph Portelli, one of the shareholders of Trivium, the company responsible for the site, said works resumed on March 17 after a formal clearance was granted by the BCA, days after the authority had issued a stop-works notice on March 12.
The spokesperson said all works carried out have followed the method statements submitted to and approved by the BCA. The excavation works were primarily carried out within the rock layer above the underlying clay.
"Initial indications show that due to water ingress through natural fissures in the rock, movement occurred beneath part of the private road, which resulted in the partial collapse," the spokesperson told Times of Malta.
"Today, a new stop-works notice has been issued and is being fully observed. No works will proceed until the relevant authorities grant clearance to resume."
Nationalist MP Ivan Castillo first flagged the incident on Thursday, when he posted a video on Facebook showing the extent of the damage. He said this was not fair on the neighbours, who are forced to live in fear that their own homes are not safe enough.
He said residents informed him that the works on the construction site resumed on Thursday after the stop-work notice, and that is when the road partially collapsed.
Investigations are ongoing.