A rescue operation in Rome concluded late Monday with the successful extraction of a worker trapped for 11 hours in the partial collapse of the Torre de' Conti, a medieval tower. The 66-year-old man was the last of several workers rescued from the site, which experienced a second collapse during the operation, according to officials.

Luca Cari, a spokesperson for the Rome Fire Service, confirmed that the worker was safely removed from the rubble and transported to a hospital with a police escort. His condition has not been disclosed. "We have achieved an exceptional feat: the injured man has been extracted, brought to ground level, and is already in the ambulance. We can give the exceptional news that he is alive," Cari stated.

Before his rescue, the trapped worker was conscious and able to communicate with the search-and-rescue teams. Approximately 140 firefighters were involved in the operation, with some digging through the debris with their bare hands. Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri reported that medical personnel had reached the worker and provided him with oxygen prior to his extraction. Fortunately, no firefighters sustained injuries during the incident.

The emergency began around 11 a.m. local time when the first collapse occurred while 11 workers from two companies were on-site. One worker described the event, saying, "It all happened suddenly. Then I only saw the cloud of dust and the rescuers."

The second collapse happened about an hour later as firefighters were attempting to rescue the trapped individuals. In total, at least three other workers were pulled from the debris, with two reported unharmed. However, a 64-year-old man was taken to the hospital due to a head injury.

The cause of the tower's collapse is currently under investigation. The Torre de' Conti, which dates back to the 13th century, has been closed to the public since 2007. Recently, it received a significant grant from Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan for renovation efforts. The tower was originally built by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his family and is located near the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, in a historic area of central Rome.