A security guard working at a construction site near a venue designated for the 2026 Winter Olympics in the mountain town of Cortina d’Ampezzo passed away during a cold overnight shift, authorities confirmed on Saturday. Italy’s Infrastructure Minister, Matteo Salvini, has urged a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 55-year-old worker.
Reports from Italian media indicated that the incident occurred on Thursday while the worker was on duty at a construction site near Cortina’s ice arena. The temperatures that night dropped to as low as minus 12 degrees Celsius (10.4 degrees Fahrenheit). Organizers for the Milan Cortina event stated that the worker’s cause of death was a heart attack.
During a press briefing at a trial event held at the new hockey arena in Milan, Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, mentioned, “The available information suggests that the death was due to natural causes, specifically a heart attack. We are currently conducting an investigation to ascertain the exact cause. According to reports from emergency services, the death was attributed to natural causes while the worker was on-site.”
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are set to take place from February 6 to 22. Simico, the governmental entity responsible for Olympic infrastructure, clarified that the construction site where the incident occurred was not under its supervision. The company conveyed its condolences in a statement. City officials in Cortina expressed deep sorrow and concern over the tragic event.