Italian man dies after being crushed by 25,000 wheels of cheese

An Italian man was crushed to death by around 25,000 wheels of cheese.

Giacomo Chiapparini, who runs a Grana Padano factory in Romano di Lombardia, in the north of the country, was found by firefighters in the early hours of Monday morning, according to reports.

A 10-metre high shelf carrying the hard cheese wheels collapsed, resulting in thousands of the 40kg weights toppling to the ground, Italian media said.

Emergency services "had to move the cheese and the shelves by hand" in an all night 12-hour rescue mission, according to firefighter Antonio Dusi.

About 20 firefighters were involved in the search for the 75-year-old's body.

It is reported Mr Chiapparini, whose company has been producing Grana Padano since 2006, was inspecting the ripening wheels when the wheels fell.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...