34-year-old worker dies at Fincantieri Marghera shipyard, toxic vapour suspected

The collapse

A 34-year-old worker died on 4 November at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, on the edge of Venice, while he was welding inside a confined space in a ship under construction. ANSA and Il Fatto Quotidiano put the collapse at around 11:00, while a Romanian outlet citing Italian press gave a time of about 10:30. Il Fatto Quotidiano describes him as being of Romanian origin and says he worked for a subcontractor. Fanpage reports that a medical examiner found he died of cardiac arrest, and that what triggered the malaise is still to be established.

Rescue and the other casualties

A colleague who rushed to help him was also overcome and was treated by Suem 118 emergency medics. Fanpage identifies that colleague as a 50-year-old Romanian worker who remained in serious condition at the Angelo hospital in Mestre. Fanpage says three other workers felt ill, while Il Fatto Quotidiano counts two colleagues in total, and both outlets say the other workers were taken to hospital and discharged soon after. Emergency services at the scene included Suem 118, Spisal inspectors from the Ulss 3 health authority and the fire brigade's NBCR unit, which took readings in the area.

The suspected cause

Investigators are examining whether the man was poisoned by toxic vapours, and the NBCR teams took samples from the space where he was working. A Romanian outlet, citing Italian journalists, said the readings suggested oxygen levels far below legal minimums, probably because of heavy gases. Il Fatto Quotidiano reports that the NBCR analysis results have not yet been released. Police, carabinieri and Spisal technicians are also investigating, according to Fanpage. Il Fatto Quotidiano says the Seven Seas Prestige, the ship under construction, was evacuated as a precaution and thousands of workers were sent home early, and the judiciary seized the area.

Fincantieri's version and the union response

According to Il Fatto Quotidiano, Fincantieri told unions the death had natural causes and that the two colleagues felt unwell from emotional shock after it. The Fiom-Cgil union in Venice said in a statement that it did not know what had caused the death, and asked prosecutors to establish the facts fully. The union also said:

“The fact remains that once again a young worker from a subcontracting firm will not see his family again this evening.”

A Romanian outlet, citing Italian press, counted this as the fifth death of a Fincantieri worker this year.

What is still open

The NBCR analysis results have not yet been released, and the cause of the malaise remains to be established. The medical examiner's finding of cardiac arrest does not yet explain what triggered it, and the sources do not say when the shipyard will reopen.