Three die in accidents

Three men lost their lives following tragic accidents yesterday, two after a car crash in Swieqi while a construction worker was crushed by falling bricks in Sliema.

The first accident occurred early in the morning, at around 5.30, in St Andrew's Road, in a collision between an Audi driven by Romanian national Leonard Neascu and a chauffeur-driven Peugeot.

Mr Neascu, 26, of Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq died on the spot.

Albert Yarranton, 65, of Sliema, who was driving the Peugeot, got out of his car complaining of chest pains, according to eyewitness accounts. However, he died a few hours later in hospital, police sources said.

An eyewitness stopped to see if he could offer any assistance and saw Mr Yarranton standing next to his car. "He was complaining of a pain in his chest," he told The Times. He went to check on Mr Neascu but did not get any response.

The police and rescue services arrived minutes after the accident.

Sources from the rescue services said Mr Neacsu was not wearing a seatbelt.

Duty magistrate Lawrence Quintano is holding an inquiry.

Later, a part-time construction worker died in the afternoon after falling a height of one storey, dragging a number of bricks down onto him.

Mario Micallef, 58, of Siġġiewi, was working on the construction of a home in Carmel Street in St Julians.

Mr Micallef was in the company of another worker when, at around 1.30 p.m., he lost his balance when he went to fetch a tool. As he was falling, he is understood to have tried to grasp onto a wall but the bricks gave way and fell on top of him.

Sources said Mr Micallef did not die as a result of the fall but because of injuries caused by the falling bricks. The other worker tried giving him first aid but Mr Micallef was already dead.

Members of the Civil Protection Department were called to assist in the rescue operation.

Duty magistrate Audrey Demicoli was informed about the case and appointed a number of court experts to assist in the magisterial inquiry.