Three Workers Died Allegedly Poisoned by Gas in Cipayung Manhole

JAKARTA - Three project workers from one of the Jakarta Regional Owned Enterprises (BUMD) died allegedly due to gas poisoning while in a manhole on Jalan Pintu 3 Keong Mas, Cipayung, East Jakarta (Jaktim).

"We evacuated the victims of gas poisoning in the drain in Jalan Pintu 3 Keong Mas, Bambu Apus Village, Cipayung District, as many as three people died," said Head of Operations Section of the East Jakarta Fire and Rescue Service (Gulkarmat) Abdul Wahid, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 9.

Abdul said that his party received a report of the incident at 09.49 WIB from other agency officers.

Following up on the report, the Gulkarmat Post of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) immediately deployed two rescue units with a strength of 12 personnel to the scene.

"Officers received information at 09.49 WIB and arrived at the location at around 09.55 WIB. The rescue operation began at 10.00 WIB and was completed at 11.55 WIB," said Abdul.

Abdul explained that based on information, the incident began when a project worker entered the manhole to do the work.

While he was about halfway up the stairs to the bottom of the manhole, the victim suddenly fainted.

Seeing his colleague unconscious, another worker tried to provide help by entering the manhole.

However, the worker also fainted allegedly due to inhaling toxic gas in the channel.

"The workers of the pam project were entering the gorong gorong and half of the stairs fainted, and his friend helped to help but fainted too, then one person fainted again, so a total of three people," explained Abdul.

Gulkarmat officers who arrived at the location immediately carried out rescue operations for the victims using the confined space rescue procedure at 10.00 WIB.

Even though the evacuation process was successfully carried out until 11.55 WIB, the three workers were declared dead.

The exact cause of the alleged toxic gas in the manhole is still under investigation by the authorities.