Victims (clockwise in smaller pics from top left): Rocco Marzo, Angelo Laurino, Antonio Schiavone, Rosario Rodino', Bruno Santino and Roberto Scola; in larger pic, Giuseppe Demasi. (Xinhua-Ansa Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    (ANSA) - Rome, December 31 - Premier Romano Prodi on Monday vowed to prevent industrial accidents like the ThyssenKrupp steelworks blaze in Turin three weeks ago whose seventh and last victim died Sunday night.

    "The year has ended in the worst possible way," Prodi told reporters.

    "Our pledge must be that these things mustn't happen again,"

    "Workplace safety must be our top priority".

    Turin city council has called off New Year celebrations in the northern Italian city after the death of Giuseppe Demasi, 26, the last of seven workers severely burned in the December 5-6 fire.

    The disaster, in Italy's traditional industrial heartland, has triggered a flurry of concern over deaths in the workplace. Solidarity strikes and other initiatives have been staged in other regions.

    In the first nine months of 2007 there have been 774 deaths in the workplace, 114 fewer than in 2006. According to Eurostat, Italy's annual average of 2.5 deaths per 100,000 workers is below the EU average of 2.7.

    In the wake of the Turin fire there were calls for tougher regulations but Prodi said that companies, especially in the construction sector, were often to blame for failing to apply existing rules.

    Parliament passed new laws on workplace security -envisaging three-year jail sentences for the worst failures -in August this year but they have yet to be implemented.

    Local prosecutors are investigating the ThyssenKrupp fire, which initially killed four steelworkers and left three in a critical condition, to see what anti-fire equipment was in place and what sort of emergency training workers had.

    The German industrial conglomerate has denied charges of failing to keep adequate fire-fighting systems in place at the plant.