Three people are under investigation for the collapse of a building that collapsed in on itself last Thursday on the southern outskirts of Messina. The Prosecutor's Office has listed three people under investigation. According to reports, they are the legal representatives of the companies involved in renovation work on the ground floor of the building, which was to house a butcher's shop, and a technician. The charges include multiple manslaughter, causing a disaster through negligence, and the malicious removal of workplace safety measures. According to prosecutors, the cause of the collapse, which has currently claimed the lives of three people, while three others are still missing and are highly unlikely to have survived, lies in the ongoing construction site for the renovation of the ground floor.
It is also unclear whether the start of construction work was notified, as required by law, to the Municipality and the Civil Engineering Department. The structural collapse is typical of a failure of load-bearing structures on the lower floors, which may have dragged the floors above, imploding inward. It is therefore possible that during construction, someone knocked down a pillar or load-bearing wall, causing the entire building to collapse. Meanwhile, two bodies were recovered from the rubble today: that of Rosa Leone, the sister of entrepreneur Carmelo, found yesterday, and a third who has yet to be identified by family members. Until a few hours ago, the missing were Sara Leone, Carmelo and Rosa's sister; Alessandra Frazzica, a 21-year-old shop assistant who worked in the store on the first floor; and Santino Magazzù, Rosa Leone's husband.
The last body recovered appears to be that of one of the two women. The building was owned by the Leone family, a well-known name in the city. The founder, Giuseppe Leone, had an appliance shop in the building for years, where his sons worked. At least 70 firefighters continue to search for the missing, making their way through the rubble. Their efforts have been hampered by the buildup of gas and heat from lithium batteries in the first-floor shop, which caught fire after the collapse. As the hours passed, the smoke has cleared, making the rescuers' job a little easier, according to Messina Fire Department Commander Michele Burgio.
The firefighters' work was described as "commendable" by Mayor Federico Basile, who noted that the Leone family was "well-known in the city, having contributed for many years, including socially." The day also featured a visit from Sicilian Governor Renato Schifani, who, along with regional Civil Protection chief Salvo Cocina, met with local authorities and heads of rescue operations. While awaiting further investigation, Mayor Basile announced that most of the activities planned for the summer have been suspended.
(Unioneonline)