No arrests have been made in connection to the fatal Bormla collapse a month ago, in which 32-year old Gambian Sarjo Conteh died under stone debris and another 35-year-old Maltese Johann Ellul was left hospitalised.

Tragedy struck on 23rd July, when excavation works on a construction site in Bormla led to the collapse of a rubble wall. Heavy machinery pictured on-site has led some to believe the method statement detailing the dismantling of party walls was not following to the letter.

Figures show that Malta’s construction industry is the deadliest sector to work in, with countless other construction workers losing their lives every year.

Conteh’s passing marks the second construction-related death of 2020, after Miriam Pace lost her life when her Ħamrun home, which neighboured an excavation site, collapsed. Four men, including the project’s architect and excavator, have been charged over the incident.

Last year, a series of collapses brought several government-led reforms to the dangerous industry. But, many have warned that changes have been cosmetic, with Chamber of Architects’ Andre Pizzuto warning that too many amateurs occupy the industry.

An investigation into the Bormla case is on-going.

Tag someone who need to know this