5 people suffocated while dredging sewers in Saigon

While collecting trash from a sewer in Binh Chanh district, a worker suffocated to death, and four unconscious people were rescued by police and taken to the hospital on the morning of July 26.

Police wearing gas masks and oxygen tanks went down the drain to save people. Photo: Minh Diep — Police wearing gas masks and oxygen tanks went down the drain to save people. Photo: *Minh Diep*

At around 9am, a group of workers opened a manhole cover about one square meter wide to collect trash and reduce flooding in the sewer system at 3A20 Tran Van Giau Street, Pham Van Hai Commune. The sewer was about 2m deep, with water up to an adult's chest. When they saw their colleagues unconscious below, one of them reported it to the authorities.

Two specialized vehicles and 12 rescue soldiers from Binh Chanh District Police arrived to help. The police brought oxygen tanks and gas masks down the drain. About five minutes later, five unconscious workers were brought to the surface. The victims were soaked, their clothes covered in mud, and the water was black and foul-smelling. A 38-year-old worker died, and four others (22-36 years old) were taken to Cho Ray Hospital. The initial cause was determined to be that the workers were suffocated by methane and hydrogen sulfide (H2S).

A representative of the Urban Drainage Company Limited informed that the four victims have regained consciousness and are being monitored at the hospital. Regarding whether the group of workers wore gas masks or were tested for toxic gases when they went down to dredge the sewer, the company representative refused to answer, but said that "workers are trained every year to ensure safety."

However, according to households living near the manhole, before working, the group of workers wore uniforms, used a crowbar to pry open the lid, and went down without wearing masks.

The scene of the incident is being sealed off so authorities can investigate the cause. Photo: Dinh Van — The scene is being blocked off for authorities to investigate the cause. Photo: *Dinh Van*

Previously, Binh Chanh district was informed by Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company Limited that it would dredge the drainage system in the area in July 2023, including Tran Van Giau Street.

Dr. Tran Thi Ngoc Lan, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Natural Sciences, Ho Chi Minh City, said that wells and sewers are closed spaces with little oxygen. If sewers contain many decomposing animal carcasses, they will produce many toxic gases such as methane, H2S and CO. When inhaling these gases, victims can easily fall into a coma and die.

Dinh Van

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