Massacre in the sewers of Casteldaccia: workers shouldn’t have been there

Last Updated: May 9, 2024

La strage nelle fogne a Casteldaccia: gli operai non dovevano essere lì

The investigation into the tragedy in Casteldaccia is at the center of the work of the investigators. The incident at the Amap plant on Via Nazionale is the subject of an inquiry with the hypothesis of multiple manslaughter, but there are still some unclear points surrounding the deaths of the five workers killed by the killer gas. The investigation, conducted by the mobile team on behalf of the Termini Imerese prosecutor’s office, has been ongoing for two days. Documents related to the work have been seized from Amap and the Quadrifoglio Group company in Partinico, as well as the location of the tragedy and the vehicle used for draining the cistern. The prosecutor and the police have already heard from the site manager, the Amap engineer Gaetano Rotolo, and the three surviving workers. The collection of testimonies is crucial for reconstructing the tragedy in Casteldaccia, where the workers had already been a couple of times for cistern draining and road-leveling work. According to initial findings, a fatal accident occurred during an attempt to unclog the drainage system of the cistern. The investigation is focused on the lack of safety precautions taken by the workers, as well as the level of training and qualifications they had for this type of work.

The incident resulted in the death of five workers, with one still in critical condition. The investigation is also looking into why the workers did not have proper safety devices or protection when entering the cistern, as well as why there was a high concentration of lethal gas in the area. The investigation also examines the experience and training of the workers involved in the operation. Some union representatives have claimed that the workers did not receive adequate training and qualifications for the job, further raising concerns about workplace safety in Sicily.