After a grueling 24-hour rescue operation, firefighters in Bari have successfully pulled 74-year-old Rosalia De Giosa alive from the rubble of a collapsed five-story building, writes abs-cbn.com.

The miraculous rescue, which took place late Thursday evening, was met with an emotional round of applause from onlookers.

De Giosa had been missing since Wednesday afternoon when the residential building on Via De Amicis suddenly crumbled. Despite being declared unsafe and evacuated last year, she had remained inside when the structure collapsed.

Firefighters, Alpine rescue teams, and specialized Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) units worked alongside drone operators and canine teams to locate her. Their efforts paid off when they found her trapped but responsive beneath layers of debris. Emergency medical personnel immediately assessed her condition before transporting her to a nearby hospital for further treatment.

The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, but authorities have confirmed that renovation work on the building had begun just a week earlier. As a precaution, the two adjacent buildings have been evacuated, and 80 residents are being temporarily housed by the municipality.