Contractor denies involvement in roof collapse

The contractor involved in demolition and rebuilding works next door to a tenement where a roof collapsed yesterday, has denied responsibility for the incident.

A woman was seriously injured when the roof collapsed St Paul's Bay. Although the owner and neighbours have raised questions on whether the incident was a consequence of the excavation works next door, the contractor, Alan Farrugia, said the roof collapse was unrelated. What had happened, he said, was that roof slabs (xorok) collapsed when the tenant walked on them.

He said that claims that fissures had appeared on the wall and on the floor as a result of the structural works were being investigated by his architect.

The owner, Alex Wright, is insisting that the trouble started when demolition works started some months ago. He said the incident happened when he went on the roof to seal cracks which had developed on the roof. All of a sudden, he said, the roof collapsed onto the hall downstairs. He managed to cling to a wall but his wife was hit by debris on her head and also suffered a broken ankle.

She is currently being operated on.