In reply to paul mitchell:
In Italy it is widely reported that he fell down his rather treacherous staircase landing on two mattresses, kept in position for such events. Tragically there was a small gap between the mattresses and his head impacted between them, on the floor. He crawled to his bathroom but died there from a brain hemorrhage. The assumption is that he fell occasionally as a result of drinking a glass or two in excess, a bad habit he had openly discussed.
Whether this is true or not remains to be seen, however, I think it was first reported by the Corriere dello Sport and having met the editor, I know that he is an expert in mountaineering (he wrote a biography of Cassin) and a serious journalist, so I presume it is accurate.
