Tragedy at work at the Colosseum: 22-year-old worker dies after falling 10 metres

Tragedy at work at night at the Colosseum. Around midnight, a 22-year-old rock climbing worker, involved in the high-altitude installation of a new lighting system for the monument, fell from a height of approximately 10 metres. Despite resuscitation attempts by Ares 118 personnel, he died. The Carabinieri of the Central Rome Company and the investigative unit, the coroner, the prosecutor on duty and the staff of the labor inspectorate and the ASL Spresal intervened on site.

The Rome Prosecutor's Office is proceeding for manslaughter in relation to the death of Andrea Moretti. The proceeding, linked to workplace safety regulations, is coordinated by the deputy prosecutor Antonino Di Maio and is currently against unknown persons. The investigations are entrusted to the Carabinieri who are acquiring a series of documents to ascertain any responsibilities. An autopsy has been arranged. The body was taken to the Sapienza forensic medicine institute.

His name was Andrea Moretti and he specialized in rope work at high altitude, the worker who died this night inside the Flavian Amphitheatre. The Colosseum Archaeological Park made it known with the Mic, giving the news of the accident. As a sign of mourning, the Park has decided to close to the public today the sector of the second tier where the accident occurred, an area however not subject to seizure by the judiciary, which is currently busy determining the dynamics of the incident.

Andrea Moretti was originally from the Tottea hamlet of the municipality of Crognaleto, in the province of Teramo. A rock climbing worker, he was specialized and very expert despite his 22 years of age. A highly sought after and difficult qualification to find for construction sites, in which many young and not so young people from the Teramo mountains have tried their hand at over the years. Andrea had followed in his father's footsteps, who had also been a worker for many years and was forced to leave his job about thirty years ago due to an injury that left him disabled. The mayor of Crognaleto, Orlando Persia, a personal friend of Andrea, was very shaken by the tragedy, describing him as a "sunny boy, a lover of life, of his land, tied to friendships and horses, his passion". The mayor of the Abruzzo municipality has announced that he will proclaim citizen mourning on the day of the funeral.

"As per indications received from the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, who was on site overnight, the Colosseum Archaeological Park has ordered the closure of the Flavian Amphitheater as a sign of mourning for the tragic death of the worker Andrea Moretti" we read in a note. "The decision, taken already during the night, was implemented after managing the first round of visits, made up of thousands of people unaware of what had happened". "An immediate closure of access would in fact have resulted in a strong concentration of visitors outside the monument, with possible repercussions on security and public order. Once the regular outflow of people present has ended, the Colosseum will be closed to the public" it adds.

Giuli: 'A tragic event that leaves us dismayed'

"A tragic event that leaves us dismayed and stunned. The few words we manage to express are dedicated to Andrea, his family, his loved ones: we extend our deep, painful condolences to everyone in the face of the absurd death of a young man engaged in his work". This was stated by the Minister of Culture, Alessandro Giuli, commenting on the death of the worker.