Bashkim Rushani, a 61-year-old construction business owner from Casarano, in the province of Lecce, died after being struck by a sliding gate while working in a town in southern Salento. He was working on the renovation of several pillars, according to Tommaso Moscara, secretary general of the CGIL union in Lecce. Carabinieri officers attended the scene.
Moscara said Rushani’s death was the ninth workplace fatality in the Lecce area in 2026. He expressed condolences to the victim’s family, colleagues and friends, and said several serious workplace incidents in Maglie, Porto Cesareo and Galatone had recently avoided fatal outcomes.
Figures published by Italy’s National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL) show that 3,589 workplace injuries were reported in Lecce province during the first nine months of 2026—an average of nearly 14 reports a day. Eight of those incidents had resulted in deaths by September 30, before Rushani’s death.
Over the past decade, 149 workers have died in Salento, the report states, with the figure rising to 252 when records dating from 2010 are included. Moscara called for stronger prevention and training, tighter safety oversight and greater responsibility for workplace health and safety across businesses and institutions.
Sources: Il Sole 24 Ore Italia.