3 Workers Die, 1 Injured, 1 Missing after Scaffolding Collapses at Kawasaki Steelworks

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:35 JST, April 8, 2026

KAWASAKI — Three workers died after some scaffolding collapsed during the dismantling of a large crane at JFE Steel Corp.’s East Japan Works in Kawasaki on Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Kanagawa prefectural police, an emergency call was made at about 4:25 p.m., reporting that scaffolding at a height of about 40 meters had given way at the plant, on a site in the Keihin District, on Ogishima Island in the city’s Kawasaki Ward.

The police said five male workers fell when the scaffolding broke, of whom two were confirmed dead on Tuesday. Two others were rushed to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead on Wednesday, bringing the death toll to three. The other is undergoing treatment for serious injuries, the police said, and the fifth remains missing.

The deceased include a 19-year-old company employee from Inage Ward, Chiba, and a 29-year-old company employee from Midori Ward, Chiba. Officers from the Kawasaki Rinko Police Station are investigating the incident on suspicion that it may have resulted from professional negligence resulting in death and injury.

The crane was previously used for loading and unloading iron ore from ships. At the time of the accident, workers were dismantling a cylindrical 500-ton counterweight located at the top of the apparatus. The weight fell for unknown reasons, likely striking the scaffolding erected alongside the crane and sweeping the workers down with it.

The impact of the falling weight, whose interior was filled with concrete. punched a hole in the steel plating of the pier, leaving the sea visible beneath. The now-missing worker is believed to have been positioned on the weight using heavy machinery to scrape away the concrete. The police believe he may have fallen along with the weight and dropped into the sea through the hole.

The site is located in an industrial coastal area about 6.5 kilometers southeast of JR Kawasaki Station.

According to the Yokohama Local Meteorological Office, strong wind and high wave advisories were in effect for Kawasaki at the time. The Kawasaki Coast Guard Station reported wind speeds of 36 kph at the time.