SANTO DOMINGO— For more than eight decades, the Bolzano Courthouse stood tall as Italy endured wars, reconstruction, and profound political transformations. This Thursday morning, however, it took only seconds for part of that history to be reduced to rubble. The collapse of the building's central section not only paralyzed the city's judicial activity but also sparked a national debate about the safety of structural interventions in public buildings that remain in use.
According to Radio NBC Rete Regione, the collapse occurred shortly after 6:00 a.m., before the start of the workday. This circumstance prevented a greater tragedy. Only cleaning staff were in the building at the time. Hours later, judges, lawyers, employees, and members of the public would have occupied the same hallways that were ultimately buried under concrete and steel.
Judicial authorities have suspended all civil and criminal hearings until further notice, except for those whose nature prevents postponement. The decision was made by the president of the Bolzano Court, Francesca Bortolotti, and prosecutor Axel Bisignano, after declaring the building completely inaccessible.
A quarter of the building disappeared
Initial inspections reveal the extent of the damage.
According to the specialized website Ingenio, the collapse destroyed approximately a quarter of the Palace of Justice. Courtrooms, administrative offices, the Prosecutor's Office, and spaces used by the Bar Association were reduced to a huge cavity in the center of the building.
Images released from Bolzano show an empty space where entire floors stood just hours ago. The central structure collapsed, revealing fractured columns, shattered slabs, and tons of rubble that will now be analyzed by experts.
"The entire central part of the Palace of Justice is completely unusable," declared prosecutor Axel Bisignano, quoted by Ingenio.
The building was being reinforced when it collapsed
The paradox has captured the attention of engineers and specialists.
The courthouse was not abandoned nor did it show any public signs of ruin. On the contrary, it was undergoing a rehabilitation project precisely to extend its useful life and modernize its facilities.
According to Ingenio, the work included replacing structural pillars in the area where the collapse later occurred. Even so, authorities insist there is still insufficient evidence to determine whether the construction work is related to the incident.
According to the specialists, the investigations should now focus on reconstructing the sequence of execution of the work, verifying the behavior of the temporary shoring and determining if the structure lost stability during the intervention.
Justice was left without a home
Beyond the material damage, the collapse left one of the main judicial bodies in northern Italy without a headquarters.
Il Sole 24 Ore reported that authorities are considering implementing remote work to ensure the continuity of processes while temporary spaces are being set up.
Meanwhile, the Italian Ministry of Justice, quoted by the Quotidiano del Ministero della Giustizia, announced the dispatch of computer equipment to employees and the transfer of an engineer from Rome to assess the state of the building's technological infrastructure.
It is also studying special regulations that would allow the reorganization of judicial procedures affected by the disabling of the property, following precedents used after other national emergencies.
"We cannot wait for another collapse"
The collapse brought back to the forefront a problem that judges and court workers had been warning about for years.
In a statement, the Regional Council of the National Association of Magistrates (ANM) expressed relief that the collapse occurred before the start of work, but warned that the incident constitutes a wake-up call that cannot be ignored.
"Anyone entering a courthouse should do so with the certainty of being in a safe and dignified place," the organization stated.
The ANM recalled that for years it has denounced the deterioration of numerous Italian judicial buildings and demanded a verifiable investment plan that prioritizes the safety of magistrates, workers and citizens.
A symbol turned into a scene of investigation
Built between 1939 and 1956, the Bolzano Courthouse is one of the most emblematic public buildings in this northern Italian city. Conceived as part of the urban expansion project undertaken during the Fascist period, it survived World War II and for decades was one of the region's main institutional landmarks.
It remains cordoned off today.
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