Man dies as car is crushed under concrete blocks

A young man died tragically in Xewkija yesterday when his car hit a tower crane and was crushed under the weight of concrete blocks as the crane toppled over. The victim is Sammy Spiteri, a 23-year-old from Xewkija. He was driving a red Mitsubishi Lancer which crashed into one of the legs of the tower crane.

The crane keeled over and three of its four counterweights, each weighing over 150 kilos, fell onto the car and flattened it. The arm of the crane came to rest on top of a house in Triq Ghajn Qatet, which leads from Victoria to Xewkija, causing some damage to the building.

The police said the accident took place at about 4.45 a.m. Neighbours were woken up by the noise, fearing an earthquake.

Despite the way the car was utterly destroyed by the falling concrete blocks, there are question marks over the precise cause of death, which will have to be determined by an autopsy.

Sources at the scene said the victim appeared to be practically unscathed. The only visible wound was a scratch on one of his hands, probably caused by broken glass, so he may have been killed instantly on impact with the crane.

There were no brake marks on the road either, so it is not being ruled out that Spiteri may have died before the actual crash or at least fell asleep at the wheel. He was alone in the car.

Personnel from the Civil Protection Department took two hours to break through to him and pull him out of the wreck.

A magisterial inquiry is under way and the police are investigating.