Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Autopsy Ordered After Guard Dies During Freezing Overnight Shift at Cortina Olympic Site

Prosecutors ordered an autopsy to determine whether the 55-year-old’s heart attack was connected to his working conditions.

Overview

  • Authorities said preliminary information points to a heart attack, with organizers noting emergency services reported a natural cause of death.
  • The Belluno prosecutor’s office ordered an autopsy, and the worker’s family filed a complaint alleging unsafe night-shift conditions and inadequate protection from extreme cold.
  • Italian media reported temperatures near minus 12°C (10.4°F) during the shift, and some outlets identified the guard as Pietro Zantonini.
  • Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini called for a full and rigorous investigation into the circumstances of the death.
  • Simico, the government company overseeing some Olympic projects, said the specific site was not under its supervision, as venue readiness questions persist after a test-event ice defect at Milan’s Santagiulia arena.