A subcontracted worker has died and another was seriously injured following a fire during welding work at Fincantieri’s Ancona shipyard in Italy.

The accident occurred on the evening of 29 September while the two men were working on a vessel at the yard. Both suffered serious injuries after a fire broke out during the welding operation.

The worker who died was a 54-year-old Tunisian national who suffered severe burns. A 29-year-old Bangladeshi worker was also seriously injured and was being transferred from a hospital in Ancona to a specialist burns centre.

Both workers were employed by an outside contractor. Police opened an investigation into the circumstances and cause of the accident.

The incident led to an eight-hour strike at the Ancona yard. Fim, Fiom and Uilm later called for a two-hour strike across Fincantieri shipyards.

The unions called for greater attention to workplace safety, including worker training and protective equipment, and raised concerns over contracting and subcontracting arrangements following the fatal accident.

The accident occurred at one of Fincantieri’s main Italian production facilities. According to the company’s official information on the Ancona shipyard, the site covers about 360,000 m², has production capacity of 60,000 GT, lifting systems capable of handling up to 500 t and hull production capacity of about 1,200 t per month.