Rome monument shut on Thursday amid controversy over tragic workplace death.The Colosseum remained closed to the public on Thursday 24 September, a second consecutive day of closure following the death of a young worker who fell from scaffolding inside the amphitheatre.Andrea Moretti, 22, a specialist rope-access technician, died shortly after midnight on Wednesday while working on the installation of new lighting at the monument ahead of its 9 October inauguration. He fell around 10 metres from the second order of the Flavian Amphitheatre. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him at the scene but he could not be saved. According to investigators, Moretti was found wearing his safety harness but not clipped to the securing rope, which was not found to be broken. Two other workers were present in the site at the time, including the victim's brother-in-law; both have been questioned. The Rome prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for manslaughter, initially against persons unknown. Carabinieri have reportedly seized documentation relating to the lighting contract from the Colosseum Archaeological Park (PArCo), and checks are under way into the training records of workers on the site. An autopsy has been ordered. Closure extended amid controversy The Colosseum's initial response was widely criticised. On Wednesday morning, only the section of the monument where the accident occurred was closed, while the rest of the site continued to receive visitors as normal. Rome's Cgil union reacted angrily, with its regional secretary-general Natale Di Cola saying: "The Colosseum doesn't even stop for death. It's a disgrace." The union called for the whole archaeological area to close immediately, adding that "dismay and customary condolences are not enough." Following the backlash, PArCo amended its public statement to announce a full closure for the day. Culture minister Alessandro Giuli ordered the closure of the amphitheatre "as a sign of mourning", according to a ministry statement, which noted that shutting the gates immediately overnight would have caused dangerous crowding among visitors already queuing outside. The closure was subsequently extended to Thursday "until further notice from the minister", in a gesture of solidarity with Moretti's family and PArCo's workforce. Political and union reaction Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said the city was "dismayed and grieving", adding: "We cannot accept that people continue to die at work. Safety must be an absolute priority, a concrete and daily commitment, because tragedies like this must never happen again." Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences to Moretti's family and colleagues, saying: "Dying at the age of 22 is unacceptable; it is even more so when it happens in the workplace." Unions Cgil Roma e Lazio and Fp Cgil Roma e Lazio said the closure was "appropriate" but confirmed that PArCo staff would remain on duty behind closed gates on Thursday, wearing black armbands in tribute to Moretti. The unions announced a site-wide assembly in the coming days to put workplace health and safety "back at the centre" of discussion, warning that "in the face of yet another death in a public contract, the response of workers must be united and firm." Rome has, in the past year, seen unions organise torchlight vigils over fatal workplace accidents, including one that set off from the Colosseum after the death of Octav Stroici in the Torre dei Conti collapse last November. Ticket refunds Refunds will be processed automatically, the Colosseum management said in an statement, noting that it is not necessary to submit individual refund requests or further correspondence regarding the bookings concerned. Management said the closure is an "exceptional measure" adopted by the ministry of culture and, "as such, it is not possible to grant access, reinstate visits scheduled for 23 and 24 September 2026, or make individual exceptions." Those who had scheduled to visit are asked "to wait until the relevant procedures have been completed, and to refrain from sending multiple requests, which could slow down the administrative processes currently underway."

The Colosseum remained closed to the public on Thursday 24 September, a second consecutive day of closure following the who fell from scaffolding inside the amphitheatre. Andrea Moretti, 22, a specialist rope-access technician, died shortly after midnight on Wednesday while working on the installation of new lighting at the monument ahead of its 9 October inauguration. He fell around 10 metres from the second order of the Flavian Amphitheatre. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate him at the scene but he could not be saved. According to investigators, Moretti was found wearing his safety harness but not clipped to the securing rope, which was not found to be broken. Two other workers were present in the site at the time, including the victim's brother-in-law; both have been questioned. The Rome prosecutor's office has opened an investigation for manslaughter, initially against persons unknown. Carabinieri have reportedly seized documentation relating to the lighting contract from the Colosseum Archaeological Park (PArCo), and checks are under way into the training records of workers on the site. An autopsy has been ordered. The Colosseum's initial response was widely criticised. On Wednesday morning, only the section of the monument where the accident occurred was closed, while the rest of the site continued to receive visitors as normal. Rome's Cgil union reacted angrily, with its regional secretary-general Natale Di Cola saying: "The Colosseum doesn't even stop for death. It's a disgrace." The union called for the whole archaeological area to close immediately, adding that "dismay and customary condolences are not enough." Following the backlash, PArCo amended its public statement to announce a full closure for the day. Culture minister Alessandro Giuli ordered the closure of the amphitheatre "as a sign of mourning", according to a ministry statement, which noted that shutting the gates immediately overnight would have caused dangerous crowding among visitors already queuing outside. The closure was subsequently extended to Thursday "until further notice from the minister", in a gesture of solidarity with Moretti's family and PArCo's workforce. Rome mayor Roberto Gualtieri said the city was "dismayed and grieving", adding: "We cannot accept that people continue to die at work. Safety must be an absolute priority, a concrete and daily commitment, because tragedies like this must never happen again." Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her condolences to Moretti's family and colleagues, saying: "Dying at the age of 22 is unacceptable; it is even more so when it happens in the workplace." Unions Cgil Roma e Lazio and Fp Cgil Roma e Lazio said the closure was "appropriate" but confirmed that PArCo staff would remain on duty behind closed gates on Thursday, wearing black armbands in tribute to Moretti. The unions announced a site-wide assembly in the coming days to put workplace health and safety "back at the centre" of discussion, warning that "in the face of yet another death in a public contract, the response of workers must be united and firm." Rome has, in the past year, seen unions organise torchlight vigils over fatal workplace accidents, including one that set off from the Colosseum after the death of Octav Stroici in the Torre dei Conti collapse last November. Refunds will be processed automatically, the Colosseum management said in an statement, noting that it is not necessary to submit individual refund requests or further correspondence regarding the bookings concerned. Management said the closure is an "exceptional measure" adopted by the ministry of culture and, "as such, it is not possible to grant access, reinstate visits scheduled for 23 and 24 September 2026, or make individual exceptions." Those who had scheduled to visit are asked "to wait until the relevant procedures have been completed, and to refrain from sending multiple requests, which could slow down the administrative processes currently underway."