On the night of the 6th, six workers working on painting collapsed in a dark irrigation canal in Isehara City, Kanagawa Prefecture, and three of them were taken to the hospital in an unconscious state. An interview with the prefecture revealed that thinner was used.
The three people's injuries were not life-threatening, and police believe they may have been poisoned and are investigating the circumstances in detail.
According to the police, just after 7 p.m. on the 6th, six male workers ranging from their 20s to their 70s collapsed at a construction site for an irrigation canal in Takamori, Isehara City, and were taken to the hospital.
Three of them, one in their 20s, one in their 40s, and one in their 60s, were transported unconscious and are receiving treatment, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
According to the prefecture that commissioned the construction work, at the time the iron plates installed to reinforce the irrigation canal were painted with anti-rust paint, and thinner was used to dilute the paint.
It is said that measures were taken at the scene, such as installing multiple blowers, but police are investigating the incident in detail as they believe that six people may have been poisoned.
Kanagawa Prefecture: ``Countermeasures were taken, but the cause of the accident has been confirmed''
According to Kanagawa Prefecture, which ordered the construction work, work had been underway at the site since around November last year to reinforce the inside of the dilapidated tunnel-like irrigation canal by erecting iron plates.
On the 6th, six workers were painting the steel plates to prevent rust, and they were using thinner to dilute the paint.
Becoming suspicious that the workers had not returned past the end of the work at around 5 p.m., the person in charge went to check on the situation and found six people collapsed in the irrigation canal.
To prevent poisoning, multiple blowers were installed inside the irrigation canal, and workers were wearing masks.
The prefecture stated, ``Despite taking precautions, an accident occurred as a result.We are currently confirming the cause.''