Martin Mawaya
Two Gweru City Council employees have died and another was hospitalized after suffering gas suffocation while working on a sewer manhole in the Athlone suburb, according to the city’s spokesperson.
In a statement, Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed the “tragic loss” of the two city employees who passed away “while on duty in Athlone.”
“The incident occurred when they were working on a manhole and unfortunately succumbed to gas suffocation,” Chingwaramusee said.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to the families, colleagues, and loved ones of the deceased.”
Chingwaramusee added that the local authority will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to ensure measures are put in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.
The City of Gweru has emphasized the importance of worker safety, adding that they “value the lives of its employees and residents, and we take the safety of our workers very seriously.”
This incident comes after reports of another employee who sustained injuries while performing duties related to pipe laying last week.
The incident is alleged to have happened due to an unforeseen soil roll back in a previously excavated area.
