W. Java villagers die of asphyxiation in well<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post\/Bandung<\/p>\n
A grim atmosphere loomed over Selacau village, Sumedang regency,
\nWest Java, following the death of four residents who died of gas
\npoisoning inside a well on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The victims were Aceng Kurniawan, 35, his brother-in-law
\nJajuli, 21, and two of his neighbors Asikin, 45, and Yoyo
\nSunarta, 21.<\/p>\n
Another neighbor, Ayi, said that the tragedy occurred at about
\n9 a.m. when Aceng intended to clear up the mud he thought might
\nhave accumulated at the bottom of his well and clogged the pipe
\nleading to the water pump. The 14-meter well, located outside his
\nhouse, had always been covered with a metal sheet.<\/p>\n
However, his wish to obtain water turned to disaster and led
\nto a chain of events, killing four local men.<\/p>\n
Aceng had initially went down the well using a rope aided by
\nJajuli. He suddenly shouted for help when he was about five to 10
\nmeters down, probably after he had trouble breathing and fell
\ninto the water before Jajuli could help him.<\/p>\n
Jajuli then went down to try to help. He tied the rope to a
\nnearby tree and went down to help Aceng. But, he too fell down
\nthe well.<\/p>\n
Stunned by the incident, Asikin and Yoyo, who were in the
\nvicinity, went to the rescue and descended down the well to help
\nAceng and Jajuli, but to no avail. They also fell in and died.<\/p>\n
\"Asep and I wanted to help but we were discouraged by the
\nneighbors,\" Ayi told reporters at the accident scene.<\/p>\n
Panicked villagers finally reported the incident to the
\nCimanggung police, who later requested assistance from the Mobile
\nBrigade's Search and Rescue team stationed at the West Java
\nPolice Headquarters.<\/p>\n
Seven SAR team members using gas masks then recovered the four
\nbodies. Yoyo's body was the last evacuated at about 12:30 p.m.<\/p>\n
Aceng's wife, Nani, 30, was too tormented by the tragedy to
\nspeak to reporters.<\/p>\n
Sumedang Regent Don Murdono later arrived and conveyed his
\nsympathy to the bereaved families.<\/p>\n
Sumedang Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Yoyok Subagyono surmised
\nthat the four died of inhaling poison gas inside the well, which
\nhad not been opened for a long time.<\/p>\n
\"They died of inhaling some type of dangerous gas, proven by
\na test we conducted on a live chicken, which died after it was
\nsuspended down into the well,\" said Yoyok.<\/p>\n
\"The four victims had not checked whether there was a presence
\nof gas by lighting matches or first putting live animals down the
\nwell,\" he added.<\/p>\n
\"Gas is heavy in nature and usually found in deep holes,
\nincluding wells,\" said Yoyok.<\/p>\n
He said that the police had determined that there was no foul
\nplay involved, but several eyewitnesses would be questioned for
\nthe sake of collecting data.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/w-java-villagers-die-of-asphyxiation-in-well-1447893297",
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