Two Police Reports Filed In Days Leading To Paceville Building Collapse
Perit Chris Mintoff filed two police reports and one with the Building and Constructions Authority before authorities evacuated a building that collapsed mere hours later.
“These types of structures fail slowly, then suddenly,” the first report made on Monday and seen by Lovin Malta reads.
The first police report was filed on 9th June by Mintoff and Michael Formosa Gauci who alerted authorities to structural damages that posed a threat to residents in the building and the general public. On the same day, Mintoff filed a report with the BCA.
View this post on Instagram
Mintoff is the perit of two properties owned by San Tumas Share Holding PLC and situated within the Tania Flats building. He went to survey the building on Monday after the property sustained damages that raised some alarm. After his inspection, he lodged a police report to warn that the damages could be of serious danger to residents, third parties and the general public.
He noted issues in the facade, the windows, the main door, the front door, the ceilings, the hallways, the doorway, the common stairwell and elsewhere. He noted that new damages, like more noticeable cracks, had emerged since his Condition Report of December 2024.
Mintoff’s police report concluded by explaining that “masonry structures fail slowly, and then suddenly.” He had been raising red flags about the structure for the past five years, however, this week he warned authorities that the building may be reaching a point of no return.
As pressure builds up, different parts of the building shift slightly and settle into new positions. This distributes the weight along the property but eventually, some parts can no longer handle the pressure and can give way – putting extra strain on the rest of the building, which can lead to a full collapse.
“This might be the last warning the building may give prior to a more serious scenario,” Mintoff wrote.
In the report, Mintoff urgently recommended that third parties in the vicinity are informed, adjacent works that could cause vibrations are ceased, and the property is reinforced by means of jacks, masonry pillars, and steel beams to distribute loadings.
However, little was done and two days later, he together with Perit Glenn Zammit filed another police report. Zammit is the lead architect of a major nearby project led by Excel Trading Limited which is owned by Joseph Portelli, Mark Agius and Daniel Refalo.
At 9am, the pair went to assess the building again and an hour later they reiterated to the police that the building posed a danger to residents of the block.
The architect of Tania Flats, Wallace Farrugia, was instructed to tell residents to evacuate the building. Between noon and 1pm, all 32 people evacuated and at around 10.30pm, the whole building collapsed and a major national tragedy was averted.
Speaking to Lovin Malta, Mintoff said that he and Zammit are “not heroes”.
“Everyone who played a role in the actions that led to this outcome should be credited. Things definitely can improve and hopefully this acts as a lesson on how to act in these incidents.”
Mintoff further shared the shock he experienced, knowing he was in the building not days but hours before it collapsed.
“I went home and hugged my daughter tight after the news. It was the perfect storm in the best way possible. We were very lucky with the outcome.”
READ NEXT: PM Suggests Manoel Island Deal Within Reach As MIDI AGM Gets Underway
