At approximately 11:31 a.m. on October 25, four workers collapsed due to suffocation while working inside a septic tank installed in the basement of a zinc processing company in the Duryu Industrial Area, Angang-eup, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province.
According to the fire department and police, two of the workers, both in their 40s and 50s, who were transported to the hospital, were pronounced dead, while the other two are reported to be in critical condition. Another worker who was outside discovered the victims collapsed at a depth of about 2 meters inside the septic tank and reported the incident to the authorities.
The police have identified the victims as employees of an external company based in Gyeonggi Province specializing in cylinder replacement and maintenance. The workers had previously conducted painting work inside the septic tank on October 17, and on this day, they collapsed while performing pipe work, according to the police.
The fire department is currently using hazardous gas detectors to assess the conditions inside the septic tank at the scene.
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