Jeonju, May 4 Two workers died and three others were hospitalised after inhaling toxic gas at a paper mill in the southwestern city of Jeonju, authorities said on Sunday.
Authorities said they received a call at 9:44 a.m. that a worker fell into a manhole at the factory and lost consciousness from gas exposure, Yonhap news agency reported.
Two workers were found collapsed near the manhole and were transported to a hospital in cardiac arrest but died while another worker in their 40s, who was inside the manhole was rescued and taken to a hospital, was also reported to be in a semiconscious state. Two others who were on a nearby ladder complained of dizziness and were also hospitalised.
Authorities believe the accident occurred when one of the workers entered the 3-meter-deep manhole filled with paper sludge, prompting his colleagues to follow in an attempt to rescue him.
All five workers were South Korean nationals, according to the police.
The exact cause of the incident remains under investigation. Police and fire officials are working to confirm the identities of the workers and determine the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, who declared his presidential bid last week, offered his condolences to the victims and "deepest sympathy" to the bereaved families on his newly launched Facebook page.
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