Sliema promenade staircase collapse leaves gaping hole
The staircase is now blocked off as works to fix it will commence 'soon'
Part of a staircase along the Sliema promenade collapsed on Tuesday, leaving a dangerous gaping hole in the middle of the steps.
The staircase, located between St Julian’s Tower and the outdoor gym along Tower Road, is commonly used by passers-by, particularly in summer, to access the beach from the promenade.
Sliema mayor John Pillow told Times of Malta the site was closed off by the Public Works Department some hours later, after he had contacted parliamentary secretary Omar Farrugia.
Pillow added that works to fix the damage will commence “soon”.
Pillow said the landing collapsed after a culvert beneath it deteriorated over time and eventually caved in. He expressed doubt that the windy weather had caused the collapse.
The issue was first flagged on Tuesday morning in the Facebook group “Sliema Residents”, where a user shared a photo of the collapsed steps, describing the site as “quite dangerous”.
Several commenters expressed shock at the damage and warned of the hazard.
“Imagine a child runs down those steps without noticing the gap,” one person wrote. "Even a cat or dog can fall there," someone else said.
A few hours later, Sliema councillor Zack Zammit posted a photo showing the hole temporarily covered with two wooden pallets.
“A few extra safety measures will be implemented shortly. I urge residents to avoid any coastal areas in this windy weather,” Zammit said.
He later posted a photo of a metal barrier blocking off the staircase.
It remains unclear what caused the collapse, though Sliema’s coastline has been battered by heavy waves in recent weeks.
Last month, when Storm Harry battered Malta, Pillow shared footage on social media showing waves crashing into the promenade as two people stood along the coast.
The storm also stripped away large sections of concrete from the former Sliema Chalet site.
Apart from the storm, the Met Office issued a red weather warning last week as gale-force winds hit the islands.
On Tuesday, an orange weather warning was issued, with winds expected to reach near gale-force strength.