Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini has called for a full investigation into the death of a 55-year-old worker who suffered a heart attack at the mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
A guard who was working at a construction site near a 2026 Winter Olympic venue has died during an overnight shift where temperatures dropped to -12C.
The 55-year-old worker died of a heart attack at the mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo, authorities confirmed. He was working at a construction site near Cortina’s ice arena. Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini has called for a full investigation into the man’s death.
“The information we have is that it was a death by natural cause, it was a heart attack. And we are investigating,” Andrea Varnier, the CEO of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, told reporters at a test event at Milan’s new hockey arena.
READ MORE: Bumper Milano Cortina Winter Olympic broadcast schedule revealedREAD MORE: Alert as more than 7m Brits at ‘increased risk’ of heart attacks this week
“All the documentation that we have was in order. And we are waiting for the investigation to understand what the specific cause was. At the moment, the information we have from the emergency services is it was a death caused by natural causes … while he was on site,” Varnier said.
Simico, the government body overseeing Olympic infrastructure, clarified that the site was not under its supervision while extending condolences to the man’s loved ones. Cortina city officials said they were “deeply saddened and troubled by the death” of the worker.
Cold weather can increase the risk of a heart attack or stoke. When temperatures drop, blood vessels in our skin, fingers, and toes constrict, which can lead to increased heat loss and more blood to be directed to our vital organs, including the heart and the brain.
While this is meant as a way to keep our bodies warm, people with cardiovascular disease are more susceptible to heart attacks or strokes because blood pressure increases as the heart pumps harder to circulate blood through the body. The British Heart Foundation issued a warning last week about the potential dangers of cold weather, and encouraging people with heart conditions to minimise their time outside.
“Cold temperatures can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, and people with cardiovascular disease are also more at risk of serious illness if they get seasonal respiratory infections like flu,” said Ruth Goss, a senior cardiac nurse at the BHF. “It’s especially important that people living with heart conditions are well prepared for the cold snap this winter by wrapping up warm and having their free flu jab.”
The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will take place on February 6-22. The Cortina ice arena will include events such as curling, sliding, and women’s Alpine skiing. The Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympic territory consists of the Cortina Sliding Centre, Cortina d’Ampezzo Olympic and Paralympic Village and the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium.
The new Sliding Centre has been built on the grounds of a historic track named after Eugenio Monti, the ‘Flying Red’, a two-time Olympic bobsleigh champion at Grenoble 1968. Bobsleigh, skeleton and luge will take place at the new centre which is being redeveloped ahead of the 2026 games.
