Worker Dies In Freezing Temperatures At 2026 Winter Olympics Site

A tragic discovery has cast a shadow over preparations for the 2026 Winter Olympics after a security guard was found dead during a night shift at a construction site in the Italian Alps. Authorities confirmed on Saturday that Pietro Zantonini, 55, succumbed to the extreme cold while on duty near the ice stadium in Cortina d’Ampezzo.

The incident occurred during the night between Wednesday and Thursday, as temperatures in the region plummeted to -12°C (10.4°F), with wind chills making conditions feel as low as -17°C.

Details of the Incident

• Zantonini, originally from Brindisi, was working a 12-hour overnight shift for a private security contractor. According to preliminary reports:
• Medical Emergency: Around 2:00 AM, Zantonini reportedly contacted colleagues to state he was feeling ill.
• Discovery: Emergency services arrived shortly after, but despite immediate resuscitation efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Exposure: While Zantonini had access to a small heated surveillance cabin, his duties required him to conduct outdoor reconnaissance rounds every two hours in the biting cold.

Italy’s Infrastructure Minister, Matteo Salvini, has called for a "full and rigorous investigation" into the circumstances of the death, emphasizing that workplace safety must remain the top priority even as construction schedules accelerate ahead of the February 6 opening ceremony.

Simico, the governmental company responsible for Olympic infrastructure, expressed "deepest and most heartfelt condolences" but clarified that the specific construction site was managed by a subcontractor and was not under its direct jurisdiction.

The family of the deceased has filed a formal complaint through legal counsel, seeking transparency regarding whether adequate protective measures and rest periods were provided. A prosecutor in Belluno has ordered an autopsy to confirm if hypothermia or a cold-triggered medical event was the primary cause of death.

The tragedy has reignited a fierce debate over labor conditions at Olympic sites. With less than a month to go before the Games, unions have raised alarms about:

• Strenuous Shifts: The pressure of 12-hour night shifts in high-altitude environments.
• Inadequate Gear: Potential lack of specialized thermal equipment for stationary security personnel.
• Tight Deadlines: The "rush to the finish line" that may be compromising safety protocols.

"To have a worker lose their life while protecting the sites of a global celebration of sport is a failure of the system," said a representative for the Italian Union of Labour (UIL). "We must ensure no workplace death is treated as an unavoidable event."