Criminal negligence charges possible

Although the magisterial inquiry into the collapse of a building in which two women were killed in St Paul's Bay on June 3 is still underway, sources said yesterday it appeared there could be a case against workmen doing excavation works on an adjacent site.

It is not yet clear whether the owner of the adjacent site would also be involved.

The charges are likely to include those of criminal negligence, leading to the death of the two women, Mary Zarb, a 60-year-old retired teacher and former St Paul's Bay councillor, and her student, Nadya Vavilova, 24, a Russian interpreter.

The block was situated in Ramon Perellos Street, just off the main road and next to a plot where work was in progress to lay the foundations for a new building.

Half of the building - a block made up of four flats and two underlying garages - collapsed at about 3.15 p.m. on June 3, killing the two women.

It is known that on the same morning, works were taking place close to the wall of the collapsed building.

Sources said that from evidence given in the inquiry, it appeared that the architect in charge of the works in the plot where excavations were taking place, had given the workmen clear instructions about where they had to leave undisturbed and the distances they had to keep away from the adjacent existing building.

Neighbours living adjacent to the plot had complained about the vibrations while excavation works were underway.