Rome, January 24: Two children died when a two-story dwelling collapsed at dawn today in a piazza in the centre of Favara, Sicily.
Marianna Bellavia, 14, died in the disaster. Her sister Chiara, three, was found seriously injured but alive. She was pronounced dead later in the day after attempts to resuscitate her failed.
Their brother Giovanni, 12, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and phoned rescuers for help.
Parents Giuseppe Bellavia and Josephine Bello also survived.
The family, worried about the stability of their home, previously requested government housing but was not on the waiting list, according to mayor Domenico Russello.
“The area is dilapidated and there could be a structural collapse,” local police commander Treleani Gabriel said.
Firefighters also feared adjacent buildings could collapse.
—Agencies