４Workers Fall into Manhole; All Confirmed Dead

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:36 JST, August 2, 2025

Four workers who were doing drainage and other work on a sewer system apparently fell into a manhole in Gyoda, Saitama Prefecture, on Saturday. 

The workers had been pulled out by around 4 p.m., but all were taken to a hospital in cardiac arrest. It was confirmed that all of them died.

According to the Gyoda fire department headquarters, an emergency call was made at around 9:25 a.m.

Initially, one worker fell into the manhole, and the other three fell in while trying to rescue the first worker.

Hydrogen sulfide was detected at the scene.

According to the city government, the manhole has a diameter of 60 centimeters. The work was being carried out at the site in preparation for a sewer inspection commissioned by the city. The 12-meter-deep hole is connected to a 2.6-meter-diameter sewer pipe.