'2 Dead' Seoul Gangnam Manhole Accident, Construction Company CEO and 3 Others Sent to Prosecution

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Jung-yoon] The police have referred the CEO of a construction company and others to the prosecution in connection with the incident where two workers fell into a manhole and died while working on a sewage pipe construction in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

On the 25th, the Suseo Police Station in Seoul announced that they had sent four people, including the CEO of the construction company in charge of the project, the site manager, the site foreman, and the Gangnam-gu official, to the prosecution without detention on charges of involuntary manslaughter due to negligence. A police official stated, "Negligence in safety management and supervision was recognized."

On June 17, two workers fell into a manhole while installing and upgrading a rainwater inlet for sewage pipes in Dogok-dong, Gangnam-gu, and died. First, one worker entered the manhole connected to the sewage pipe, but when he went missing, another worker, an excavator operator, entered to rescue him and was involved in the accident.

They were rescued after about three hours and transferred to a hospital but both died. The autopsy revealed the cause of death as "drowning due to asphyxiation." At the time, the sewage system contained about 5 meters of sewage water, and the carbon monoxide concentration, which is life-threatening at levels above 50 ppm, reached 170 ppm.

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