Rome's Spin Time residents sleep outside after fire, amid heatwave

Updated: 06/08/2026 - 15:31 GMT+2 About 400 Spin Time residents sleep outside in Rome after a fire forced their evacuation, with volunteers helping during a heatwave. Around 400 people displaced from Rome's Spin Time building have been sleeping on the street after a fire forced them to leave the occupied property. Footage shows residents resting on camping beds, children playing in inflatable pools and volunteers providing meals and medical support during a heatwave. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The former public office building has been occupied since 2013 by low-income families and individuals struggling with rising housing costs in the Italian capital. Police have blocked access to the building since the fire on 29 July, leaving residents waiting for a solution. Volunteer doctors say the heat and uncertainty are affecting vulnerable people, including elderly residents and children. Talks are underway over a possible agreement that would allow Rome's city government to use the building for public housing. In the meantime, residents continue living outside near the entrance.