Italian winemaker Marco Petolini reportedly drowned in a wine vat while trying to rescue a colleague

News

by Alyssa Guzman

An Italian winemaker reportedly drowned in a wine vat after becoming dizzy from nitrogen gases and falling into the fermenting drink while trying to rescue a colleague.

Marco Pettolini (46 years old) was trying to reach his colleague Alberto Ben (31 years old) when he lost his balance after becoming dizzy caused by the intoxicating fumes emitted during the wine-making process on Thursday. Telegraph mentioned.

It is believed Bean entered the autoclave of a wine vat at the Ca di Rago winery in north-eastern Italy at around 2pm, after noticing taps malfunctioning and he became ill from the fumes.

Bettolini followed to help and was struck by the fumes himself.

Petolini fell a few feet and hit his head on the bottom, where there was still some wine, according to the local newspaper. Tribuna di Treviso.

Pin was reportedly taken to a hospital in Teviso in serious condition Wine News.

He is in a medically induced coma after his heart was restarted Italy News 24.

The entire tragedy was captured on CCTV footage, which was not released.

“We are overwhelmed with sadness. For us, these people are two brothers and two sons. My thoughts go to these two men who grew up with us, and to their families,” Simone Cecchetto, owner of the winery, told the Tribuna di Treviso website. “We pray for the injured young man for his speedy recovery.” “

Petolini has worked at the company since 2018, and was a winemaker and cellar manager, Wine News reported.

“He was a great worker, a very generous and reserved person,” a colleague said. La Repubblica.

The experienced oenologist has also worked as a consultant for various wine companies, and also worked as an agronomist specializing in soil management and crop production. According to his LinkedIn profile.

Veneto President Luca Zaia paid tribute to the workers, telling Tribuna di Treviso: “Why today? Why all this pain for those who certainly do not deserve it? I offer my deepest condolences to the families overwhelmed by this tragedy and to all who loved and knew the victim and who are now concerned.” On their colleague who is in the hospital.

The incident remains under investigation and no one has been charged, although it has raised concerns about production safety in the Italian wine industry.

Prosecutor Marco Martani said preliminary information gathered indicated that “no one should have entered this autoclave,” according to News Italy 24.

An outside company should have been called in because of the defect, and special masks and systems should have been used, Martini said.

After the trade, Ca Di Raju employees gathered together to leave a bouquet of flowers in the cellar.

“Alberto and Marco are brothers to me and to all of us, and this is family to us,” co-worker Andrea Zanella told La Repubblica. “We have become close in pain and we are close to the families of Marco and Alberto. We ask for respect for our immense pain. We only hope that Alberto can return to us soon. Marco is a hero to us.”