Security guard dies from heart attack ahead of Winter Olympics
A security guard has frozen to death near a Winter Olympics stadium just four weeks before the games are set to begin, reports BritPanorama.
Pietro Zantonini, 55, suffered a heart attack in -12C weather while working on a night shift.
The Italian was on a 12-hour shift at a construction site in the Alps for a private security contractor when the tragedy occurred at the Alpine resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, where the games will take place.
Zantonini had left a heated cabin to conduct regular searches of the construction site. As temperatures plummeted, he reportedly informed colleagues he was feeling unwell before heading out for his fatal 2am walk. Emergency services arrived to find him unresponsive, and he was pronounced dead at the scene shortly thereafter.
Andrea Varnier, CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, stated, “The information we have is that it was a death by natural cause, it was a heart attack.” He confirmed an investigation is currently underway. Italy’s Infrastructure Minister, Matteo Salvini, has urged for a “full and rigorous investigation” into the circumstances of Zantonini’s death, emphasizing the importance of protecting workers, particularly in construction, as the opening ceremony approaches.
Cortina city officials expressed their deep sadness over the incident, stating they were “deeply saddened and troubled by the death.” As a host city for the upcoming Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, scheduled from February 6 to 22, it has previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956. Cortina will host several snow and sliding events, including alpine skiing, curling, biathlon, bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton.
The tragedy coincides with ongoing concerns regarding the readiness of the Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is set to seat 16,000 spectators. There are doubts about whether the venue will be ready in time, with no backup plans in place, as confirmed by Olympic officials. The Olympic torch is currently touring Italy and is expected to arrive in Cortina on January 26, 2026, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the 1956 Games.
This incident casts a shadow over the upcoming Winter Games, reinforcing the precarious balance between the rush to deliver a grand Olympic spectacle and the safety of those who contribute to its success.
