Boy, 15, suddenly drops dead after kicking football machine at fairground

Boy, 15, suddenly drops dead after kicking football machine at fairground Alessio Colletti, from Sarono, near Milan, was on holiday at Luna Park in Spotorno in northern Italy when he died while using the calciometro machine A teenager has been electrocuted to death while using a fairground football machine. The incident took place as Alessio Colletti, 15, was on holiday with a friend and the pal's parents at Luna Park in the seaside town of Spotorno, northern Italy. The 15-year-old footballer approached the "calciometro" - a classic fairground machine which measures kick power. Alessio is reported to have taken off one of his shoes to play barefoot when he was hit by a massive electric shock the moment he touched the machine on July 16. It is claimed that the attraction's safety switch reportedly failed to trip. The promising young footballer collapsed to the ground and, despite resuscitation efforts that lasted more than two hours, Alessio died at St Paul's Hospital in Savona. A manslaughter investigation has now been launched to establish the circumstances of the incident. The fairground ride owner, the technician who tested the attraction and the engineer responsible for its annual safety checks are all under investigation. Investigators will look at why the life-saving differential switch, which is designed to cut power at the first sign of leak, failed to activate. A seized cable and connectors are being examined for possible rain damage after a downpour shortly before the incident, as reported by NeedToKnow. An electrical engineering expert from Turin University will carry out forensic tests. Alessio, from Sarono, near Milan, will be the subject of a post-mortem examination on Friday. Luna Park remains closed while checks continue on permits and safety compliance. Alessio's football club, Amor Sportiva Saronno, paid tribute with a black-ribbon post, writing: "Ciao Colle, you will always be with all of us." Local rivals Virtus Cantalupo added: "There is pain that the heart cannot accept... the football stops, rivalries stop. Only the pain remains." Friends described Alessio as a talented midfielder with a bright future in the game. His devastated family is still waiting for the green light for a funeral in Saronno once the body is released. Spotorno sits on the Italian Riviera, about 50 miles west of Genoa – a favourite spot for families seeking sun, sea and fairground fun during the peak summer season. The case has raised questions over electrical inspections and emergency cut-outs on ageing attractions at travelling fairgrounds.