Police in Saitama said Monday that two painters were found dead inside an elevator. Police believe the two lost consciousness and died after after inhaling a toxic substance, Fuji TV reported.
According to police, the two workers -- Koji Suzuki, 46, and Kazuhiro Takeuchi, 46 -- were found lying in the elevator of an office building in Omiya Ward, Saitama, at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Police believe that a chemical exfoliant might have caused a noxious fume that quickly rendered the two men unconscious after the elevator door closed. The men had begun work at around 8:30 a.m. to peel old paint off the elevator walls.
© Japan Today
9 Comments
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Gobshite
So using paint stripper in an enclosed space? Sad story, but possibly a case for a Darwin award...
SenseNotSoCommon
Sounds like the stuff my builders told me wasn't available here. Lucky us?
BurakuminDes
Rest in Peace - a couple of hard-working guys, just doing their job. The only consolation is that - hopefully - the fumes would have knocked them out quickly and they didn't have a painful death.
YongYang
@Gob: What a nice sentiment you relay on the thread concerning the death of two men. My condolences to these people's families and friends.
Serrano
I once worked part time painting interiors of apartment buildings, and I nearly passed out from the fumes.
Rest in peace, painters.
mikihouse
seems like daily casuals sent to do a job they know nothing of
Gobshite
Lesson for today kids, read the information on the can...
battambangbound
Have the police put together "painters," "inhaling a toxic substance," "chemical substance," and "probable exfoliant" yet?
sincerely999
I wonder what their employer is going to say about this rudimentary tragedy?