On July 7, 2025, at around 9:30 pm, a dramatic incident occurred in the heart of Terracina (province of Latina, Lazio): the roof of the Michelin-starred restaurant "Essenza" collapsed. Guests and staff alike were affected. The 31-year-old sommelier Mara Severin was killed and ten other people were injured, three of whom were in a critical condition.
Some eyewitnesses reported two collapses in the area towards Via Roma, which were accompanied by a loud bang, a cloud of dust and panicked cries for help. The emergency services - fire department, police, carabinieri and paramedics - arrived in large numbers and took the injured to the "Fiorini" hospital in Terracina and to facilities in Latina.
The Latina public prosecutor's office ordered the immediate seizure of the restaurant during the night in order to thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident. Under the direction of investigator PM Giuseppe Miliano, it is being examined whether construction defects or structural weaknesses are the cause. In particular, the focus is on recent work carried out around two months ago, during which the roof was "waterproofed" - possibly improperly.
The weather also played a role: a yellow weather warning was issued for the province of Latina due to strong winds, although it was not raining. This was considered a possible cause for the destabilization of the roof structure.
Mara Severin was 31 years old, lived in Sabaudia and worked as the sommelier in charge at "Essenza". She managed the service in the wine lounge "La Cave" - a place for exclusive wine tastings with over 800 labels - and played a key role in shaping the ambience of the restaurant. After the collapse, she was found under the rubble by firefighters and taken to hospital with serious injuries, where she died a short time later. She succumbed to her injuries there shortly after arrival.
The culinary heart of the house is head chef Simone Nardoni, born in 1987, who opened "Essenza" in Pontinia in 2011 and moved to Terracina in 2019. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2020. His cuisine is known for its regional purity and creative twists on traditional dishes.
