Tragic Fatality: Man Crushed by Cheese Wheels

Warehouse Shelf Collapse Leads to Catastrophe
Economic Losses Mount as Valuable Cheese Ruined

Authorities report that an Italian man was crushed to death by thousands of wheels of Parmesan-style cheese.

74-year-old Giacomo Chiapparini was buried when a shelf collapsed in his warehouse in the Lombardy region on Sunday, according to AFP firefighter Antonion Dusi.

The collapse caused a cascade effect that brought down thousands of wheels, each weighing approximately 40 kilograms (84 pounds).

Mr. Dusi stated that it took 12 hours to locate Mr. Chiapparini’s corpse.

A resident told Italian media that the collapse sounded “like thunder” after a portion of the wheels fell approximately 10 meters (33 feet).

The economic harm has been estimated at €7 million (£6 million).

A neighbor described Mr. Chiapparini to the Italian media as “very supportive… and generous.” Moreover, he reportedly lost a child decades ago.

The warehouse in Romano di Lombardia, located approximately 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Milan, held a total of 25,000 wheels of Grana Padano, a hard cheese similar to Parmesan that is renowned in Italy.