Jeonju: Two workers died and three others were hospitalized after inhaling toxic gas at a paper mill in the southwestern city of Jeonju, authorities said Sunday.
According to Bahrain News Agency, authorities received a call at 9:44 a.m. reporting that a worker had fallen into a manhole at the factory and lost consciousness due to gas exposure. Two workers were found collapsed near the manhole and were transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest but did not survive.
A man in his 40s who was inside the manhole was rescued and taken to a hospital. Two other workers, who were on a nearby ladder, complained of dizziness and were also hospitalized.
Authorities believe the incident occurred when a worker entered the 3-meter-deep manhole filled with paper sludge, leading his colleagues to follow in an attempt to rescue him. All five workers involved were South Korean nationals, according to the police.