Officials in Italy have launched an investigation into the death of 55-year-old Pietro Zantonini. The incident occurred while the security guard was patrolling a construction site for the Winter Olympics last month.
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What Led to Zantonini's Death?
As reported by PEOPLE, Zantonini began his shift at 7 p.m. local time on Jan. 7 and was to patrol the construction site until the morning.
The security guard was staying in a cabin nearby. A small heater kept him warm during his shift. However, by 2 a.m. on Jan. 8, he contacted a coworker to tell them he was having trouble breathing.
First responders were sent to the site, but it was too late. Zantonini had stopped breathing when the ambulance arrived. An autopsy showed that he had died from a heart attack. It concluded that it was brought on by the frigid conditions. However, several exams are still scheduled.
Reports state that the temperature was 10 degrees Fahrenheit the evening of the incident. That is around -12 degrees Celsius.
How Are the Winter Olympics Involved?
Investigators are looking into any "aggravating circumstances" that may have led to Zantonini's death, including unsafe work and environmental conditions.
The security guard traveled from Brindisi, a city in southern Italy's Apulia region, to Cortina in September 2025. He was on a fixed-term contract and was scheduled to return home at the end of January.
The family of Zantonini, which includes his wife and adult son, said through their lawyer that he "had repeatedly expressed concerns and complaints about working conditions, long night shifts, and the lack of adequate protection." They added that the night of his death, the security guard "was working a night shift, outdoors, in particularly harsh weather conditions."
They added that the incident brings "back to the forefront the issue of safety and working conditions on construction sites and in services related to major events, particularly in view of the 2026 Winter Olympics."
The Milano Cortina 2026 Organizing Committee has yet to comment on the incident. Simico, the government agency responsible for Olympic infrastructure, said it did not oversee the site where Zantonini's death took place.
