Visitors found the house in ruins when the site opened A house in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii has collapsed, raising concerns about whether Italy is spending enough to preserve its archaeological heritage.
The House of the Gladiators was found in ruins when curators came to open the site to visitors early on Saturday.
Partially rebuilt after it sustained damage during World World II, it had not been thought at risk of collapse.
Culture Minister Sandro Bondi said some of the frescos on the house’s lower walls might have survived.
Antonio Varone, director of excavations at the site, said officials were “trying to preserve the last fragments”.
The house, which is not normally open to the public but can be viewed from the outside, was cordoned off.
There was speculation that recent heavy rains might have made the structure unstable.
The house, known as the Schola Armaturarum, was used by gladiators for training before fights in the nearby amphitheatre.
Pompeii was destroyed in AD79 when a volcanic eruption from nearby Mount Vesuvius buried the city in ash. It was not uncovered until the 18th Century.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.