A 15-year-old footballer has tragically died after an arcade game sent a fatal electric shock through his body, with tributes flooding in for the youngster
A 15-year-old footballer has been tragically killed in a freak fairground accident after an arcade game sent a devastating electric shock through his body.
Alessio Colletti died in Spotorno, northern Italy, on Thursday, July 16. He was visiting the seaside town with his friend, when he went to try a football kicking machine, an amusement game that measures the power of a player’s kick.
The teenager, who was a team captain for local club Amor Saronno and was known for his passion for the sport, was reportedly barefoot when he kicked the ball and suffered a powerful electric shock.
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Investigators are examining whether water from a storm that hit the area shortly before the incident may have affected the electrical system of the attraction.
The Savona Prosecutor’s technical team is investigating why the machine’s RCD circuit breaker failed to trip and instantly cut the power when the electrical leakage occurred.
To ensure an airtight forensic analysis, an independent electromagnetic engineer from the University of Turin has been appointed to dismantle the machine’s internal control unit and determine how rainwater bypassed the outer casing.
The alarm was raised at around 11pm, and emergency crews rushed Alessio to San Paolo Hospital in Savona in a critical condition. However, he sadly passed away the following day.
The amusement park was immediately closed and the attraction was seized as police and firefighters began checks on the electrical systems and safety measures.
Authorities are investigating the exact cause of the fatal electric shock, with initial checks focusing on the possibility of a fault involving the machine’s power supply or grounding system.
Since the incident, the Savona Prosecutor’s Office has opened an investigation into possible manslaughter.
Investigators have placed the owner or manager of the calciometro attraction under investigation while technical checks on the machine and its safety systems are carried out.
Alessio’s parents were not with him at the time of the incident, as he had been spending a few days away with his friend and the friend’s family.
Heartbreakingly, his team-mates at Amor Saronno first learned of his tragic passing via a text message sent directly by his mother into the team’s group chat on Friday morning.
The teenager’s death has left his hometown of Saronno mourning, with tributes pouring in from friends, classmates and members of his football club.
Saronno local official Ilaria Pagani said: “It is a tragedy that should never happen. It is impossible to find words to ease the suffering of the family, who we stand beside with affection, as well as his friends, classmates and everyone who loved him.”
Spotorno mayor Mattia Fiorini said the local community had been deeply affected by the tragedy and confirmed the administration was working with investigators to establish exactly what happened.
“The amusement park has existed for many years and has always been managed by the same people,” he said.