Residents living near a Naxxar construction site can re-enter their homes after the foundations of a nearby multi-storey development gave way and raised safety concerns.

An independent architect hired by the Building and Construction Authority inspected the site and nearby apartments on Friday. After the inspection, he told residents there were no signs of movement and that they could re-enter safely.

However, residents on site asked for a written declaration of the safety of the apartment block. They also asked for other assurances, including another assessment of the site two months from now.

The architect obliged and told residents that he would send a declaration in the coming days.

The 10 Naxxar families that were evacuated from their homes late on Thursday gathered around the construction site on Friday afternoon in the hopes of getting confirmation that the area is safe and they can re-enter their homes.

Some residents were frustrated by the lack of official communication from the authorities. One resident said he found out about the issue through the Times of Malta and was evacuated shortly after.

The residents gathered on site because they heard, unofficially, that the BCA would brief them about the safety situation of the area.

Other residents were angry because they kept moving from one area of the site to the other in the afternoon heat in the hope of getting information from officials on site.

Earlier in the day, residents told Times of Malta that they had warned the authorities for years about the safety concerns around the construction site.

Some residents experienced damage to their properties, including cracked tiles, falling soffits.

Outside the evacuated apartment block, a deep crack is visible between the pavement and the building. A resident said the crack has been there for years, but keeps getting worse.

The crack above the pavement affected the facade of the apartment block.

In a separate incident in the summer of 2023, two cranes swivelled in the same direction and became entangled near the evacuated block.

Overall, residents were also concerned that the excavation nearby was going deeper than they thought it should.

Part of the newly built access road was cordoned off overnight.

The site is being developed by contractor Anton Camilleri, known as Tal-Franċiż, who is also behind the Villa Rosa mega-development proposal.

The site, which spans approximately 12,000 square metres, can be accessed from multiple points. Evacuated residents live in apartment blocks adjacent to the site on Francis Attard Street, where large boulders have now been placed to block entry into the site. Beyond the boulders, there is a cluster of nearly completed apartments, as well as a large open area earmarked for further development.

That open space is subject to a development application for 64 apartments, along with 10 recessed-floor units above approved garages. The specific area where the incident occurred is designated for garages.