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Published September 16, 2023, 6:21 PM ET
An Italian winemaker reportedly drowned in a vat of wine after nitrogen gases made him dizzy and he fell into the fermenting brew while trying to save a colleague.
Marco Bettolini, 46, reached for his colleague Alberto Pin, 31, when he lost his balance on Thursday after being struck by dizziness caused by the intoxicating fumes emitted during the winemaking process, The Telegraph reported.
It is believed that Pin entered the vat autoclave at the Ca’ di Rajo winery in northeastern Italy around 2 p.m. after noticing the taps were not working and became ill from the fumes.
Bettolini followed him to help and was himself struck by the fumes.
According to the local newspaper Tribuna di Treviso, Bettolini fell a few meters and hit his head on the ground, where some wine was still standing.
Marco Bettolini, 46, tried to help his colleague Alberto Pin, 31, when he was plagued by dizziness caused by the fumes produced during winemaking.Ca di Rajo Wines/Facebook
According to Wine News, Pin was taken to a hospital in Teviso in serious condition.
According to News Italy 24, he is in a medically induced coma after having his heart restarted.
The entire tragedy was captured on surveillance footage, which has not been released.
His colleague was airlifted to a hospital in Teviso in serious condition. . He is in a medically induced coma in the intensive care unit after having his heart restarted.Vigili de Fuoco/Twitter
“We are overwhelmed with grief. For us, these people are two brothers, two sons. My thoughts are with these two men who grew up with us and with their families,” winery owner Simone Cecchetto told Tribuna di Treviso. “We pray for the injured young man and for his speedy recovery.”
Bettolini had worked for the company since 2018 and was winemaker and cellar master, Wine News reported.
“He was a great worker, a very generous and reserved person,” a colleague said, according to La Repubblica.
Bettolini has worked for the company since 2018 and was a winemaker and cellar master.Marco/Linkedin
According to LinkedIn, the experienced oenologist also worked as a consultant for various wine companies and was also an agronomist specializing in soil management and crop production.
Veneto President Luca Zaia honored the two workers, telling Tribuna di Treviso: “Why today? Why so much pain for those who certainly don’t deserve it? I extend my deepest condolences to the families overwhelmed by this tragedy and to all who loved and knew the victim and who now fear for their colleague in the hospital.”
The incident is under investigation and no one has been charged, although it raised concerns about production safety in the Italian wine industry.
Bettolini fell into the vat on Thursday, falling several meters and hitting his head on the floor where the leftover wine was.cadirajo.wines/Instagram Chief prosecutor Marco Martani said preliminary information indicated that “no one was using this autoclave should have entered”. cadirajo.wines/Instagram
According to News Italy 24, chief prosecutor Marco Martani said preliminary information indicated that “no one should have entered that autoclave.”
Martani said an outside company should have been brought in because of the disruption and special masks and systems should have been used.
Following the trade, Ca’ di Rajo employees gathered to leave a bouquet of flowers in the basement.
“For me, Alberto and Marco are two brothers and for all of us it is a family,” Andrea Zanella, a colleague, told La Repubblica. “We have become close in pain and are close to the families of Marco and Alberto. We ask for respect for our immense pain. We just hope that Alberto can return to us soon. Marco is a hero for us.”
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