Accident at Jeonju Paper Mill Manhole: 2 Dead, 3 Injured

In Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, a tragic accident occurred at a paper mill where workers who entered a manhole were exposed to toxic gas, resulting in 2 deaths and 3 injuries.

According to the police and the Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters on the 4th, a report was received at 9:44 AM stating that "a worker has fallen into a manhole and is unconscious due to gas poisoning" at the paper mill located in Palbok-dong, Jeonju.

Upon receiving the report, firefighters and police mobilized 55 personnel and 20 pieces of equipment for a swift rescue operation.

A 41-year-old man and a 58-year-old man, who were found collapsed near the manhole in cardiac arrest, were taken to the hospital but ultimately both succumbed to their injuries.

A worker in his 40s who was inside the manhole was rescued in a faint state of consciousness and is currently receiving medical treatment, and two others in their 50s who were nearby on a ladder also complained of dizziness and were transported to the hospital.

It is reported that the three injured individuals are currently not in life-threatening conditions.

All those affected by the accident were employees of the paper mill and were reportedly at work that morning to clean the manhole and the pulping machine inside the factory.

The accident occurred while investigating the cause of machinery not functioning correctly due to the accumulation of paper sludge in the underground process.

According to the situation on-site, one worker first entered a manhole connected to a water tank with a depth of 3 meters (width 1 meter, length 0.8 meters) and lost contact. Two colleagues who attempted to rescue him were also exposed to the toxic gas.

Investigation on Possible Violations of the Serious Accident Punishment Act

The police are identifying the types of harmful gases present in the manhole and are investigating the factory's safety management practices to determine the applicability of the Serious Accident Punishment Act.

A police official stated, "There are no closed-circuit (CC) TV cameras at the accident site, so we are investigating the exact circumstances of the accident based on the testimonies of colleagues and on-site officials."

Image Source: Jeonbuk Fire Headquarters, material photo for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank