Another workplace tragedy as five workers died in Casteldaccia, near Palermo yesterday. A sixth was transported to the Policlinico hospital in Palermo, after being intubated.
According to an initial reconstruction, the six workers from a private company were carrying out some sewage work. They were working on behalf of Amap, the company which manages the water and sewage pipelines in Palermo.
After the first worker remained underground without coming out, the others climbed down to see what was happening. The seventh member of the team, not seeing his colleagues come out, raised the alarm.
The five victims were named on Monday. They are Epifanio Assazia, 71, who is reported to be the co-owner of the Quadrifoglio company; Giuseppe Miraglia, Roberto Raneri, 50, Ignazio Giordano, 59, and Giuseppe La Barbera.
PM Girogia Meloni said, “We are shocked by the news of the workers involved in the tragic accident that happened at Casteldaccia, in the Palermo area”.
“To the families of the victims I send my deep condolences, combined with the feeling of closeness towards the worker who is currently in the intensive care unit of Palermo’s Policlinico hospital.
“Let full light be shed on this tragedy”.
Almost 200 workers have lost their lives this year
Italy is enduring a spate of fatal workplace accidents.
Workplace accident insurance agency INAIL said last week that almost 200 workers had lost their lives in accidents this year, 2.6% down on last.
President Mattarella said in a May Day speech that every such death was unacceptable. Unions are calling for urgent action to stem the fatal tide.
The spate included seven workers killed in a hydro power plant blast near Bologna last month.
