Five people died in an accident at a sewage treatment plant

May 7, 2024

Five workers died in an accident at a wastewater treatment plant in Sicily, Italy, on May 6. All five people reportedly died of poison gas poisoning at the sewage treatment plant near Palermo. A sixth worker was found unconscious at the scene and was taken to hospital where he remains in a serious condition.

Image: Vigili del fuoco

In the early afternoon, rescue workers were called to the scene of the accident in Casteldaccia, about 20 kilometers outside Palermo. Fire officials said five bodies were recovered from the scene while another was taken to hospital. Another worker managed to escape uninjured and called for help.

AMAP, the regional company that operates the wastewater treatment plant, has not released details of what happened during the incident. In a statement, a company executive expressed his condolences to the victims’ families. The workers were in a five square meter underground tank at the time of the accident.

According to Italian media, the workers were discovered without masks to protect them from toxic fumes. This raised concerns that poor safety protocols were being implemented throughout the facility.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wrote on social media that “this tragedy must be fully illuminated.” The accident is the latest in a series of workplace deaths that have occurred across Italy in recent months, including an explosion at a hydroelectric power station near Bologna that killed seven people in April. The incidents have sparked anger among workers and unions demanding better safety conditions.

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