Family unhurt after Gzira roof collapse

Gzira roof collapse: family unhurt • Video: John Pisani

Part of a roof of a Gzira house collapsed while construction work was underway at a neighbour’s house, sparing the lives of its residents who were not at home at the moment of the incident.

Joseph Zahra, 51, and his wife, 49, and both their children were thankfully not at home in the afternoon when the roof gave way.

At 2pm Thursday, Zahra and his wife returned home in Manoel de Vilhena Street to find that part of the roof close to the main bedroom had collapsed.

Zahra told MaltaToday that the work above their residence had been going on for about a month where Alex Bugeja, their neighbour, is adding four floors. Zahra said that he had warned the contractor that the work was not being done properly.

Rapid Intervention Unit police went to the scene of the accident and had to calm down the Zahra couple, who both were under shock and very angry. Later, district police led by Inspector Jason F. Sultana together with PS David Sant and WPC Rachel Hamd went also in Manoel de Vilhena Street and started investigating the accident.

On his part, Alex Bugeja told MaltaToday that the most important thing was that nobody was hurt. “My main concern was to attend for the needs of the Zahra family.”

The contractor refused to comment.