A Syrian construction worker watched in horror as his 18-year-old cousin fell to his death in Birkirkara yesterday, moments after taking off a protective harness for a quick sip of water.

Ibrahim Kasam was plastering a third storey wall at the St Therese Middle School in Ta’ Paris when he fell after one of the ropes suspending a thick plank of wood snapped. He died in hospital soon after.

Mr Kasam had just removed his harness to climb into the school through an open window. He wanted to cool down from the sweltering midday sun.

“I saw him take off his safety line to climb inside for a drink – it was so hot out in the sun,” Asmo Muhamd, the young man’s cousin, told Times of Malta as he paced around Mater Dei Hospital still in disbelief.

“Moments later he climbed back out onto the wooden plank that was suspended by these two ropes and started tying his harness. But he was too late. One of the ropes snapped and he fell.”

I heard two long howls of agony and then just silence

Mr Muhamd saw the entire incident unfold as he watched from the roof of the school two floors above.

“I was lowering down tools and we were just chatting like we always do. I saw him fall and land with a loud thud. I heard two long howls of agony and then just silence. I called out to him but heard nothing back,” he said.

Mr Kasam’s head had slammed against the edge of a large stone slab leaving a large gash along his temple.

The young man had fled Homs City three years ago at the beginning of the infamous siege of the war-torn region.

“We grew up together and both left together. We would have both been forced to fight in the army. There was so much violence we decided we couldn’t have a life there,” Mr Muhamd said, adding that the young man had left his family behind and was living in Malta alone.

“He left the war but died in Malta when we had found peace,” Mr Muhamd said.