Nokukhanya Mntambo29 October 2024 | 14:36

Three Ekurhuleni plumbers trapped in manhole die

The plumbers were trapped in the manhole on Monday night after they were called to the site to help unblock a sewage line.

Three Ekurhuleni plumbers trapped in manhole die

Ekurhuleni Emergency Services retrieved the bodies of three plumbers who were trapped in the manhole. Picture: Supplied.

JOHANNESBURG - Three bodies have been retrieved from a manhole in Benoni after a plumbing job went wrong at a business in the area.

The plumbers were trapped in the manhole on Monday night after they were called to the site to help unblock a sewer line.

City of Ekurhuleni officials believe the workers may have inhaled toxic methane gas before they drowned.

On Tuesday morning, Ekurhuleni Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson William Ntladi says a frantic search for three plumbers began.

“We worked tirelessly until we retrieved all three adult males. Unfortunately, they were declared deceased.”

While investigations are underway, Ntladi said the water level in the manhole is at least five metres deep.

“The three were trying to unblock the main line sewerage system and were probably overcome by the methane gas emitted by the sewage and they fell inside and they couldn’t come out.”

ALL WORKERS ACCOUNTED FOR 

Ekurhuleni EMS teams are still combing through the scene for clues.

Some details have begun to emerge about the incident that led to the deaths of the three plumbers.

Ekurhuleni officials said the men were contracted by a business in the industrial area to unclog their sewer lines.

They followed the pipelines underground and are said to have run into trouble at the intersection of Liverpool Street and Bradford Street. 

Ntladi said they have also looked at CCTV footage from neighbouring businesses. 

"It shows that one person went down and the other two followed after the one person couldn’t come up, and then all three of them couldn’t resurface," he said.

Ntladi said the three workers don't appear to have had safety gear.