Tragedy in Italy: Albanian falls from scaffolding and loses his life in Rimini, prosecution opens investigation

A serious incident has shaken the Albanian community in Italy, where 59-year-old Saim Myrtaj lost his life after falling from scaffolding at a construction site in the Rivabella area of Rimini. The incident happened at around 13:30 on Monday, while the local Prosecution has already opened an investigation into the criminal offence of involuntary manslaughter.

According to the preliminary reconstruction, Myrtaj was alone on the second level of scaffolding erected along the façade of a two-storey building where maintenance work was being carried out. He is suspected of having fallen through an opening in the platform that served for the ladder’s passage from one level to the next, ending up, after a fall of several metres, on the terrace of a first-floor apartment. The alarm was raised by a local resident who heard the impact, while medical teams and the authorities confirmed his death.

The lines of investigation and the safety check

The Italian authorities have seized the scaffolding structure to check the protective elements, the ways of passage and compliance with workplace safety rules. The investigative team is verifying whether the 59-year-old accidentally lost his balance, suffered a health problem, or whether there were breaches of safety conditions at the site. The forensic examination (autopsy) will also play a key role in establishing the exact cause of death.

As part of the investigation, police have questioned the victim’s employer, the owner of a local construction company. Myrtaj, who had settled in Rimini in the early 2000s and had worked for years as a bricklayer and independent craftsman, left behind his wife and two children. The Albanian community association “Agimi Rimini” has publicly expressed its condolences to the victim’s family.