Four workers die after falling into a manhole in Japan

Officials accidental the workers were conducting an exigency inspection of sewage pipes erstwhile the mishap took place.

Four workers person died successful Japan aft falling into a manhole adjacent Tokyo arsenic they inspected sewage pipes, according to nationalist broadcaster NHK, quoting police.

NHK reported connected Sunday that the incidental successful the metropolis of Gyoda successful Saitama Prefecture, northbound of the Japanese capital, happened connected Saturday, arsenic the 4 men, each successful their 50s, and different co-workers were inspecting a sewage pipe.

City officials accidental the workers were conducting an exigency inspection of sewage pipes that the cardinal authorities had ordered municipalities to transportation out, aft a immense roadworthy cave-in successful January.

Police were quoted by NHK arsenic saying that during the inspection, 1 of the workers fell down the manhole, followed by 3 of his co-workers who were trying to prevention him.

According to police, the manhole is 60cm (24in) successful diameter and much than 10 metres (33ft) successful depth.

The occurrence section from the country besides confirmed the incidental to the AFP quality agency.

Video clips published by NHK showed respective exigency and rescue unit adjacent the manhole.

The section said rescuers detected hydrogen sulfide – a state toxic successful precocious concentrations – coming retired of the manhole.

But metropolis officials refused to beryllium drawn connected the origin of the archetypal fall.

“Detailed circumstances starring up to the mishap are inactive unknown, truthful it’s excessively aboriginal for america to accidental thing astir our responsibility,” a Gyoda metropolis authoritative told AFP, connected information of anonymity.

The 4 workers were retrieved and taken to hospital, wherever they were pronounced dead, according to section media reports.

About 10 workers were astatine the country of the inspection, ordered to cleanable the pipes of wastewater and sludge if necessary.

In May, Japanese rescuers recovered the assemblage of a dormant 74-year-old motortruck operator months aft helium was swallowed by a roadworthy illness successful Saitama prefecture.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies