Four workers died in Gyoda, a city in Saitama Prefecture north of Tokyo, after falling into a manhole on Saturday, Aug. 2, NHK reported, citing police. All four men were in their 50s.
They were part of a crew of about 10 workers inspecting sewage pipes. City officials said the job was an emergency check that the central government had ordered municipalities to carry out after a large road cave-in in January. The crew was also told to clean wastewater and sludge from the pipes where needed.
According to police, one worker fell into the manhole first. Three colleagues went after him in an attempt to help, and they fell too. The shaft is 60 centimeters (24 inches) wide and more than 10 meters (33 feet) deep.
The local fire department told AFP that rescuers detected hydrogen sulfide, a gas that is toxic at high concentrations, rising from the manhole. Police said the same, and Japan Times reported they suspected the men had breathed it in. Nothing in the reports confirms the cause of death.
The four were pulled out and taken to a hospital, where local media said they were pronounced dead. NHK footage showed emergency and rescue crews gathered around the opening.
Officials have not said why the first man fell. “Detailed circumstances leading up to the accident are still unknown, so it’s too early for us to say anything about our responsibility,” a Gyoda city official told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Sources
- Four workers die after falling into a manhole in Japan
- Japan: Four workers dead after falling into manhole
Sources
- Four workers die after falling into a manhole in Japan – Al Jazeera
- Japan: Four workers dead after falling into manhole – DW.com
