Hero winemaker found dead inside vat of prosecco after rescuing colleague

But after saving his colleague, he suffered from the same fumes and collapsed before passing away.

Pin was taken to hospital with serious injuries and Bettolini was reported dead at the bottom of the tank.

Fumes such as carbon monoxide and nitrogen produced during winemaking can be deadly in enclosed spaces.

It has been reported that neither man was wearing an oxygen tank and respirator at the time of the incident.

Pin entered the tank when he spotted a fault in one of the tank's meters, investigators claim.

Chief Prosecutor Marco Martani said: "From the information gathered so far by the police, no one should have entered that vat.

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"As maintenance work is entrusted to an external specialised company equipped with masks and systems that would have prevented the risk of intoxication."

The winery's owner, Simone Cecchetto, expressed their condolences, adding: "We are devastated by grief; for us, they are like two brothers, two sons.

"My thoughts are only with these young men who grew up with us and their families. We pray that Alberto recovers as soon as possible."

Italy's workers unions have recently challenged safety standards in the food and drink production industry.

It comes after the boss of an Italian cheesemaking company was crushed to death when 15,000 wheels of cheese buried him in his own factory.

Giacomo Chiapparini was found dead by firefighters after a shelf broke in his factory in the northern Lombardy region and caused a total of 15,000 wheels of Grana Padano.

The wheels of Grana Padano cheese, which is very similar to Parmigiano Reggiano, can each weigh up to 40kg.