Three Plumbers Lose Lives In Ekurhuleni Manhole

Three bodies have been retrieved from a manhole in Benoni after a plumbing job went wrong at a business in the area. The men were called to help unblock a sewer line on Tuesday but became trapped when they encountered hazardous conditions.

Investigation into Fatalities

City of Ekurhuleni officials suspect that the plumbers may have inhaled toxic methane gas before drowning in the manhole, which had water levels exceeding five meters.

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Emergency Management Services (EMS) spokesperson, William Ntladi, emphasised the severity of the situation, stating, “We worked tirelessly until we retrieved all three adult males. Unfortunately, they were declared deceased.”

Details of the Job

The trio had been contracted by a business in the industrial area to clear the blocked sewer lines. Reports indicate they followed the pipelines underground and faced difficulties at the junction of Liverpool Street and Bradford Street.

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Ntladi noted that CCTV footage from nearby businesses shows a concerning sequence of events, where one worker descended into the manhole followed by the others, ultimately leading to all three being unable to resurface.