Man dies with suspected botulism after eating broccoli sandwich

The victim was rescued on the way. A rescue team, including helicopter, tried to transfer him to the Lagonegro hospital, but he could not resist. The woman would have had similar symptoms and also did not receive specific intervention in the clinic.

Body will be exhumed. The woman was buried last week, but the prosecutor of Paola, Calabria, will authorize the exhumation for autopsy. The victim’s brother, suspicious after the news about the cases of intoxication, called the court to clarify the cause of death.

Luigi already suspected the sandwich. According to Mena, Luigi’s sister, the two spoke several times after he consumed broccoli. “I ate a sandwich, maybe I shouldn’t have done it, I’m feeling very bad,” Luigi would have said in the first contact. Hours later, he turned on, with a weak and paused voice. “I can’t breathe, I can’t see it, I can’t swallow,” he said. The next morning he would be even worse.

Mena traveled with another sister to find Luigi. She found, however, that he had already been discharged from the clinic and insisted that he was still bad. During the way back to Naples, he began to suffocate. “I’m dying,” he repeated his sister. “Less than two minutes later, he was no longer here,” Mena told Corriere Della Sera.

Trader is investigated

Sandwiches salesman is suspected of two crimes. The Public Prosecution Service opened an inquiry into “death as a consequence of another crime” and “marketing of harmful food”. The street vendor who would have sold the product is among the investigated, as well as suppliers of ingredients used in the preparation.