A Ukrainian woman was found dead in an empty elevator shaft at the block of flats where she lived in Ramon Perellos Street, St Paul's Bay yesterday morning.

The body of Liudmyla Nykytiuk, 35, was found shortly after 8 a.m. when the police were informed someone had fallen down the shaft.

The police said it remained unclear whether the death was a murder, an accident or suicide.

Sources said neighbours had heard what sounded like an argument with her Ukrainian husband, Sergii Nykytiuk, who has been questioned.

Curious neighbours, some carrying their children, gathered in the residential street or peered from their balconies as an ambulance, which had arrived at the scene, was replaced by a hearse and policemen donned white overalls and covered their shoes with blue liners.

The neighbours kept pointing to the spot where just a stone's throw away a block of flats had collapsed five years ago, killing Maria Dolores Zarb, 60, and Nadezda Vavilova, 24.

Ms Zarb was giving Ms Vavilova private lessons when workers at an adjacent construction site dug into the building's foundations. Last month, Paul Demicoli, 51, the site's owner, and Kevin Bonnici, 33, one of the construction workers, were imprisoned for negligence.

Ms Nykytiuk, who was pronounced dead by forensic doctor Mario Scerri, was brought out of the shaft by the Civil Protection Department and carried to the hearse almost three hours after she was found.

The block of flats, directly located above a confectionary, is partly under construction with the third floor still unfinished.

Superintendent Mario Bonello and Inspector Paul Bond, from the district police station, together with Inspector Chris Pullicino, from the homicide squad, were at the scene. Deputy Police Commissioner Joe Cachia was also present.

Duty Magistrate Audrey Demicoli has launched an inquiry.

An autopsy will be carried out today and may assist in determining the cause of the woman's death.

kbugeja@timesofmalta.com