Johann Ellul, a father-of-two from Valletta, has been identified as the victim seriously injured during yesterday morning’s collapse in a Bormla construction and excavation site. In light of these events, the Valletta community is rallying behind him and calling for prayers and support.

It has been reported that Johann was semi-buried under the rubble after the wall collapse on site. Another man, reportedly a 32-year-old form Gambia, died on impact and laid near Johann. The Valletta local and his family are receiving tonnes of messages of support and encouragement as he recovers.

“Johann had recently changed jobs after COVID-19 impacted his job with Air Malta,” a close family friend told Lovin Malta. “He is such a hard worker, he works so hard to make his daily living, and everything you need he gives you. When we heard what had happened to him, we were shocked.”

According to his family, Johann was sedated after the accident and was woken up today. However, he was sedated once again after being in too much pain.

A number of people on social media have called out the lack of enforcement in the Maltese construction industry, with some like Janet Walker, who lost her Pieta home in another collapse in 2019, saying she isn’t surprised. “This cannot go on!” she said in a post yesterday morning after news spread of the Bormla collapse. “Hundreds of people are scared every day and they should be! Don’t trust anyone!”