«A tragedy for the community too»

He was coming down from the woods above Soraga di Fassa, where he had been collecting wood. While traveling along the forest road, his mechanical work vehicle, also called “blackbird”, went beyond the roadway and overturned for more than ten meters down the slope, in the steep wooded area. And when he was removed from the cockpit of the vehicle, deformed, crushed by the heavy load of wood, the driver was already lifeless. The tragedy occurred yesterday evening around 7pm in the town of Val di Fassa: the victim was a 64-year-old local man, originally from Pozza. Antonio Zulian his name, also known by the nickname Tone Cuz, profession tinsmith.
He leaves behind his wife Tiziana and two daughters who had both recently made him a grandfather. A person known in Soraga and in the valley, Zulian, member until 2015 of the Alpine Rescue of the Fassa center station, of which he was head. He was also one of the brothers of the hut owner Cuz from Pozza Buffaure.
Investigations on the dynamics
Investigations are underway by the Carabinieri of the Cavalese company, who intervened on site, to clarify what happened. From an initial reconstruction it seems that Zulian was returning home. The tragedy along the forest road above the town of Soraga, in the Soraga Alta area. The work vehicle loaded with wood flew under the roadway, overturning along the wooded slope. It stopped only thanks to some trees, against which the tractor literally “leaned”. No chance of survival for the driver, who was crushed by the heavy load. Died on the spot. The injuries he suffered were so serious that they gave him no escape, as confirmed by the doctor.
The rescue car
After the alarm, raised by some workers who were working nearby and who heard the loud noise, the thud, the Trentino Emergenza medical car and helicopter were activated and took off from Trento. At the same time, the volunteer firefighters of Soraga, Moena and Vigo di Fassa were mobilised, as were the mountain rescue volunteers from the Moena station who reached the Soraga Alta area. In addition to the police. The public prosecutor on duty, Davide Ognibene, was informed of the tragedy.
The previous incident
Zulian himself, ten years ago, in February 2014, fell from the roof of a house in Soraga where he was checking for leaks. A flight that could have cost him dearly. But he had escaped. This was not the case yesterday, to the desperation of family and friends. «A tragedy also for the community, Antonio was very well known, we are close to the family at this moment» the words of the mayor of Soraga di Fassa, Valerio Pederiva.