Florence Accident: At least one worker was killed and four others went missing at an accident in Florence, Italy. The accident occurred at a construction site on Friday.

A supermarket is under construction at the location, being built by Italy’s retail giant Esselunga.

How did the Florence accident take place?

The accident in Florence reportedly occurred when a concrete beam fell over a slab of a pre-fabricated building. As a result, the building collapsed. 

Three workers were rescued from the debris and are in critical condition in hospital. However, four are still missing and authorities fear some may be dead. There were nearly 50 workers at the construction site at the time of the accident.

Following the incident, Italy’s trade unions CGIL, CISL and UIL called for a general strike in Tuscany, demanding better safety measures for workers to avoid death by accident.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni posts message after tragedy

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences through a social media statement. 

“On behalf of myself and the Government, I express my condolences for the victims of the collapse of a beam which occurred on a construction site in Florence. I am following the evolution of the situation with apprehension and I thank those who are participating in the search for the missing and in the rescue operations for the injured. Our deepest condolences to the families affected by this terrible tragedy,” Meloni said on X.

Authorities said the accident could have been more tragic, as a minibus with children was passing from the construction site at the time of the accident.