Page 60 - Confined Space Training - Student Manual 2021

Storyline: On July 5, at 10:00 a.m., two workers entered a 50-foot-deep underground pumping
station. They descended on a fixed ladder through a 3-foot diameter metal shaft to an 8’ x 8’ x 7’
underground room. The two workers began to remove the bolts of an inspection plate from the
check valve. The plate blew off and raw sewage began to flood the chamber, overcoming one of
the workers.

The second worker exited the pumping station and radioed the police department requesting
assistance. Then, he reentered the shaft and was also overcome.

One of two police officers responding to the call at 10:09 a.m. climbed down the ladder, as did
the sewage system field manager who arrived shortly thereafter. None of the three would-be
rescuers returned to the surface.

A construction worker, who was passing by the site, stopped and entered the shaft in a rescue
attempt. After descending only 10 feet, he called for help, and was assisted by the second police
officer.

At 10:11 a.m., fire department personnel arrived at the scene, and one fireman, wearing a self-
contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), entered the shaft, but could not locate the four men. By
this time, sewage had completely filled the underground room.

A second fireman attempted to descend the ladder wearing an SCBA and a lifeline. The fireman
slipped and became wedged in the shaft about 20 feet down. Rescuers worked for 30 minutes to
remove the fireman. No further attempts to rescue those in the underground room were made
until professional divers entered the station and the removed the four bodies.

Confined Space Training for Entrants, Attendants & Supervisors 60