Four Workers Die in Japan Manhole Incident

Four workers died on Sunday after falling into a manhole while inspecting sewage pipes north of Tokyo.

According to the local fire department, the incident occurred on Saturday when a man in his fifties fell. Three other men, also in their fifties, followed in an attempt to rescue him, but also fell.

Rescue workers who responded to the scene detected hydrogen sulfide, a gas that is toxic in high concentrations, coming from the manhole. All four men were later retrieved and pronounced dead at the hospital.

A city official in Gyoda, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated that the cause of the initial fall is still unknown.

“Detailed circumstances leading up to the accident are still unknown, so it’s too early for us to say anything about our responsibility,” the official said.

This tragic event comes just months after a similar incident in January, where a huge sinkhole, caused by a collapsed road from corroded sewage pipes, swallowed a truck driver near Tokyo.

The driver’s body was recovered in May. That incident prompted a nationwide inspection of sewage systems.