[WATCH] Building Regulation Office officially communicates excavation works ban

Excavation works ongoing in Mellieha

Excavation and demolition works around Malta have been officially banned by the Building Regulation Office (BRO).

“Through regulation 18(2) of legal notice 72 of 2013, the director responsible for he Building Regulation Office is, with immediate effect, ordering that all activity related to the demolition of existing buildings and excavation on construction sites in Malta and Gozo, immediately stop,” the BRO said in a statement.

It added that instances were the suspension of works could cause more danger were exempt from the suspension, provided that this is communicated by an architect.

Earlier today, a ban on excavation and demolition works was announced by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat however it appears that the message had not filtered down to all construction sites, as readers reported ongoing works around the island.

A MaltaToday reader sent in a video of excavation works in Mellieha that were continuing in the afternoon despite the immediate ban. But others told us of ongoing works in Marsaskala, Swieqi, Birkirkara and other localities.

In Marsaskala, demolition work on the massive site of the former Sun City cinema also continued unabated.

READ ALSO: Prime Minister orders stop to all excavation and demolition work

The temporary suspension of demolition and excavation works follows yet another building collapse in Gwardamanga this morning, which was preceded a few days before by another apartment cave-in in Mellieha. In April, another Gwardamanga apartment block crumbled as people were sleeping inside.

These three apartments had one thing in common: they were all adjacent to a construction site.

Malta Developers Association (MDA) president Sandro Chetcuti told MaltaToday that he had ordered all members of the MDA to cease works immediately, even before the BRO issued the formal stop notice.

READ ALSO: Prosit, perit! How Gwardamanga victim Janet Walker’s worst fears became reality