As they tried to escape a deep, water-filled hole at a Queens, NY, waste transfer plant, three workers were killed as they were overcome by hydrogen sulfide fumes.
The victims, including a father and son who worked for S. Dahan Sewer Specialists, were at the scene working with a vacuum truck to suck water from a dry well that was meant to collect water runoff.
Harel Dahan, 23, of Brooklyn, somehow fell into the well, and his father, Shlomo Dahan, 49, of Brooklyn, climbed into the well to rescue him. They were both immediately overcome by fumes and called for help. The third member of the crew, Rene Rivas, 52, of Queens, climbed down and was also overcome.
The well, an 18-foot-deep hole filled with three feet of water, had deadly amounts of hydrogen sulfide. When firefighters were finally called to the scene they found all three victims face down in the water, reports say.
Reports also say the Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the accident.
The Doan Law Firm, P.C., led by Houston personal injury attorney Jimmy Doan, are experts in dealing with situations similar to this. They are helpful in giving direction to families of accidental injury and death victims. Contact The Doan Law Firm P.C. at 1 Riverway, Suite 2055, Houston, Texas 77056, (713) 869-4747 or (800) 910-FIRM