Two workers were killed by toxic fumes at a compost facility in the town of Aprilia, near Italy's capital Rome, local reports said on Monday.
The pair was found dead by firemen after an alarm was launched at a compost facility named Kjklos, which produces organic fertilizers from organic waste collection, local newspaper Corriere di Latina said.
According to first investigations, the two men, both truck drivers, were working at the site on behalf of an outside firm.
They had reached the site with a tank truck and had just started unloading the leachate when an ammonia and gas spill occurred for unknown reasons.
One of them was found dead on the ground and the other in a nearby tank, according to Rai state television. Police quoted by Rai said it was not clear whether the deaths were caused directly by the toxic fumes or by the tumbles.
Corriere di Latina suggested the first worker was immediately killed by the deadly mix of ammonia and gas while the other one may have lost consciousness and have fallen from some two meters into the tank, hitting his head on the floor.
The area surrounding the compost facility, which collects the organic waste from various municipalities, was temporarily put off-limits while local authorities were at work to ascertain the exact causes of the accident.