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Kyodo

Four workers in Japan died after falling into a manhole on Saturday during a sewage pipe inspection in Saitama prefecture, north of Tokyo, police said.
With hydrogen sulphide – a highly toxic, colourless gas – detected around the accident site, police are investigating whether the gas was connected to the fatal incident.
Authorities received an emergency call at around 9:25am after one man apparently fell into the manhole in Gyoda, followed by the other three who tried to rescue him.
The four men, believed to be in their 50s, did not respond to calls after falling into the manhole, measuring about 60cm (1ft 11 inches) wide and 12 metres (9ft) deep.
The manhole is connected to a 2.6-metre-wide sewer pipe, which was installed in fiscal 1981. It is located about 4km (2.5 miles) northeast of JR Gyoda Station.


At the time of the accident, about seven workers commissioned by the city government were conducting drainage work in preparation for the inspection.
The central government has asked municipalities to carry out emergency inspections of their sewage systems in the wake of a massive sinkhole that appeared at an intersection in Yashio, Saitama prefecture on January 28.
A city official said the inspection was being conducted following the appearance of the sinkhole that swallowed a truck and its driver, whose body was recovered in May.
The incident, believed to have been caused by sewer pipe corrosion, drew public attention to sinkholes and prompted the government to focus on measures addressing ageing infrastructure.
The government’s investigation launched in March has focused on sewer pipes with a diameter of 2 metres or larger that were installed at least 30 years ago across the country.


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Japan

4 workers die in Japan after falling into sewer

Rescuers look for the stricken workers who fell into a manhole in Gyoda, Saitama prefecture on Saturday. Photo: Kyodo

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Firefighters in Seoul prepare to remove a car from a sinkhole in August last year. Photo: EPA-EFE

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News

Asia

East Asia

The workers in Gyoda, north of Tokyo, fell in the 15-metre-deep hole on Saturday


The workers in Gyoda, north of Tokyo, fell in the 15-metre-deep hole on Saturday.


4 workers die in Japan after falling into sewer

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The workers in Gyoda, north of Tokyo, fell in the 15-metre-deep hole on Saturday

The workers in Gyoda, north of Tokyo, fell in the 15-metre-deep hole on Saturday