Rome, August 9: Tragedy struck a dairy factory near Bergamo, northern Italy, as Giacomo Chiapparini, a 74-year-old Italian cheesemaker, lost his life under a cascade of 25,000 wheels of Grana Padano cheese. The incident occurred when shelves holding the massive cheese wheels collapsed, creating a devastating domino effect that resulted in Chiapparini's burial under the weight of the dairy produce. The rescue operation lasted for over 12 hours, but unfortunately, the efforts of rescue workers proved futile, as Chiapparini was confirmed dead by the Bergamo fire brigade.

According to multiple reports, the unfortunate event unfolded in the ageing room of Chiapparini's factory in the town of Romano di Lombardia, situated close to Milan. The cause of the initial shelf collapse remains unclear, though investigators are considering factors such as material fatigue or technical faults. The metal shelves, laden with the substantial weight of Grana Padano cheese wheels, toppled one after another, eventually entombing Chiapparini beneath the dairy products. Italy Plane Crash: Pilots Die After Two Italian Air Force Planes Collide Mid-Air Near Guidonia Military Airport During Exercise (Watch Video).

Rescue workers, including the fire brigade and ambulance services, struggled through the night to retrieve Chiapparini's body from beneath the masses of cheese. The tragic incident has deeply affected Chiapparini's family, who are involved in the cheese-making business. His funeral is scheduled to take place on Thursday, August 10. Italy Tornado Videos: Massive Tornado Sweeps Through Milan Damaging Homes, Terrifying Clip Surfaces.

Chiapparini's factory, established in the late 1970s, specialises in the production of Grana Padano cheese, creating around 15,000 wheels each year. The cheese, made from milk sourced from cows raised on the premises, is aged for periods ranging from 12 to 70 months, each wheel weighing around 40 kilograms (88 pounds).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 09, 2023 01:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).