IPOH, April 6 — Three workers, including an Indonesian, died after they were suspected of inhaling toxic fumes while performing cleaning work in a sewer at a resort construction site in Kampung Ibol, Sumpitan, near Lenggong, this morning.
Perak Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director of operations Sabarodzi Nor Ahmad said the department received an emergency call at 10.08 am, and a team from the Lenggong Fire and Rescue Station was dispatched to the site, located 17 kilometres away.
He said two local men, aged 29 and 37, were pronounced dead at the scene, while the Indonesian worker died at the Gerik Hospital.
“Seven workers were trapped in the sewer. When the team arrived at the scene, five workers had already been pulled out by members of the public and were sent to a nearby health clinic for treatment, while two others remained trapped,” he said in a statement.
Sabarodzi said the remaining two victims were retrieved from the sewer by firefighters and pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
According to Sabarodzi, the sewer measured approximately five metres in length, four metres in width, and 2.4 metres in depth.
“The operation commander did a size-up (initial assessment) and applied the SAVER concept (Systematic Approach for Victim Extrication and Rescue), instructing firefighters to wear full PPE and breathing apparatus before descending into the sewer to extract the victims.
“The victims were tied with ropes and pulled out of the sewer. Their bodies were then handed over to the police for further action,” he said, adding that the operation ended at 12.25 pm. — Bernama