At approximately 5:30 PM on October 23, 2024, a major workplace accident took place at the Toyota Material Handling plant in Borgo Panigale, near Bologna. Toyota Material Handling is the subsidiary of the Japanese multinational company that manufactures forklifts. The incident involved an explosion that led to the collapse of part of the facility, killing two workers aged 34 and 37, and injuring eleven others, one of whom is in critical condition. Investigations are still underway to determine the causes of the accident, with an initial hypothesis pointing towards a compressor explosion.
Following the accident, the Fiom Cgil, Fim Cisl, and Uilm-Uil unions of Bologna called for a strike of metalworkers for the entire day on October 25, while the grassroots union Sgb announced a 24-hour strike for all public and private workers. Before the accident, unions at the Bologna plant had already planned a two-hour strike for October 24 regarding safety issues, and other suspensions had been carried out in the past. In July 2024, Toyota Material Handling presented an investment plan to the Emilia Romagna Region, which includes 28 million euros for the Bologna facility and the hiring of three hundred workers.
