Excavator Overturns as Tarxien Road Collapses Near Parish Church
In brief
- A street in Tarxien square collapsed on Monday morning during regeneration works.
- An excavator overturned into the cavity, but the operator escaped without injury.
- The subsidence exposed a water-filled void that appears to affect the parish church's foundations.
Emergency services and local workers responded to a serious ground collapse in Tarxien on Monday morning after the street gave way during town centre embellishment works.
The incident occurred directly alongside the parish church, where an excavator was operating as part of an ongoing project to revamp the square.
As the road surface caved in, the heavy vehicle tipped over on its side. The machine operator managed to leap clear of the cabin just in time to avoid injury.
Security camera footage captured the sudden failure of the street, which revealed a deep void filled with rainwater underneath the carriageway.
Initial inspections suggested that the underground hollow may have affected the foundational structure of the neighbouring church.
The project had previously faced disruptions and schedule adjustments following representations by the local community, while residents and business operators had voiced ongoing concerns regarding safety around the excavation site.
The Spin Room
Low media divide. All outlets reported this incident consistently, focusing on the collapse and the resulting safety risks without notable divergence.