A woman working at a flower shop in Tarxien has described the terrifying moment an excavator overturned just metres away from her workplace, saying she has been left traumatised by the incident and fears for the safety of nearby residents.Speaking to Lovin Malta, Karen Grixti the employee of Meme’s Fleuriste said she could barely sleep following Monday morning’s accident, which saw an excavator overturn after the ground gave way during ongoing construction works in Tarxien Square.“Every time I close my eyes, I see the excavator falling. I see the telephone box collapsing,” she said.“Even remembering it now gives me chills.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lovin Malta (@lovinmalta)The woman recalled watching the excavator overturn alongside a nearby telephone box, fearing the worst for the operator inside.“Thank God the man operating that excavator managed to get out, because he could have ended up crushed and drowned,” she said, explaining that water was present at the site.However, she claimed that the dangers had been highlighted long before the accident, particularly by an elderly resident who had warned workers about what lay beneath the ground.According to the woman, a 95-year-old man who has spent his entire life in the area had repeatedly warned those carrying out the works about an underground water cistern.“He told them, ‘I can tell you about every single stone here because I know the entire history of this place. There’s a water cistern right there. Don’t continue.’”She questioned whether sufficient investigations had been carried out before the works began.“I’m no expert, but I don’t think enough research was carried out,” she said.The worker also raised concerns about two elderly residents who she claimed have effectively been trapped inside their homes because of the excavations.She said the 95-year-old man, who previously enjoyed stepping outside his home and greeting people passing by, can no longer do so safely.“He used to come outside and take a few steps. I used to see him and he would wave at me. ‘Good morning, good morning.’”“Nowadays, you don’t see him anymore because there’s literally a hole just one step away from his home.”She became emotional while describing the elderly man’s situation, saying he had spent his entire life in the same home.“He was born here, raised here, got married here, and says he’s going to die here,” she explained.Beyond the safety concerns, the woman said the ongoing works have also severely affected her ability to carry out her job.Although her employer, Stephen Schembri, has continued to employ her, she said the situation has left her feeling helpless.“My employer has a big heart and has kept me employed, but today I’m literally just standing helplessly by the shop window.”“I watch the excavator lifting stones, waiting for the bucket to come crashing towards me.”The woman, who has three children, explained that while her husband is the family’s main breadwinner, her income has always helped support their household.“I have three children at home. I’m not the main breadwinner because my husband works, but I’ve always contributed financially.”“Now, nothing. All I can do is stand there and watch them working.”She also claimed that requests for an alternative workplace had gone unanswered, despite concerns being raised around two months ago.“My employer and I asked them for an alternative location two months ago, so that if, God forbid, something happened, at least we could have some peace of mind.”Recalling the morning of the accident, she said she immediately called Schembri in tears at around 9.05am.“I called my employer crying. ‘Oh my God, come quickly! The excavator has overturned!’”She claimed that another section of ground near the corner collapsed around the time her employer arrived.The incident comes after more than a year of ongoing works in Tarxien Square, which began in August 2025 and have sparked repeated complaints from residents and nearby businesses.For the worker, however, the impact now goes beyond the disruption to her livelihood, with the fear of another accident continuing to haunt her.“I couldn’t even close my eyes last night,” she said.“Every time I close my eyes, I see the excavator falling.”Do you think enough is being done to protect residents and workers affected by the ongoing works in Tarxien?•