Two workers died as the roof of a building under construction in Triq Barbara , Ħamrun collapsed on Tuesday at around 1630CET. Media reports said the tragedy unfolded when workers placed a metal net on freshly laid concrete to set the roof.

The police said the victims are a Maltese man, 44, from Siggiewi and a foreigner residing in Gwardamangia.

In the last few hours Police, Members of the Civil Protection Department (CPD), Members of the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) as well as St. Luke’s Hospital staff have been working to extract the bodies of the two dead workers from beneath the rubble. It is believed that other workers might also be trapped underneath the debris. Efforts are underway to ensure that should this be the case, the victims will be brought out from beneath the wreckage alive.

The body of the first victim was brought to the surface of the debris at around 1820CET. In turn efforts are underway to extract the body of the second victim from the rubble. CPD Members treated the concrete with water in an attempt to save the two workers, however their attempts proved fruitless, reported Net News. The concrete continues to be wet in the case that other workers are trapped beneath the rubble.

While CDP Director Peter Cordina told Net News that it does not appear that other workers are trapped underneath the collapsed roof, with excavation works continuing to eliminate the possibility that there are. In turn, One News said that should there be more workers trapped, there is a possibility that they too might have died.

The AFM has dispatched a number of personnel to the scene, in an area known as Rabbat, to assist in the removal of the rubble at the site. Heavy machinery is also being dispatched as are lighting rigs in order to assist with continuing work into the hours of darkness should it become necessary.

Soon after the accident, the owners of the companies the two workers worked for arrived on site. Minister for Resources and Infrastructure Ninu Zammit and Ħamrun Parish Priest Pawl Fenech also visited the location of the tragedy, reported Net News.

It has also been reported that soon after the accident a number of civilians rushed to the site in a bid to help the victims of the tragedy.