Man dies after falling into well

JAKARTA (JP): A construction worker in Warung Jati, South Jakarta, died yesterday after falling into a dry well and being intoxicated by the trapped gas, police said.

Police said the victim, identified as Warjono, 20, was not aware that he was standing on top of the 12-meter deep well, which had been covered by a pile of garbage.

Some construction workers said Warjono was cleaning part of the construction site when he suddenly plunged into the abandoned well.

"He knew that he was standing on a hole. We warned him to stay alert and move away from it, but he ignored us and kept on working there," said Suharsono, a fellow worker.

Site officials said they were unaware of the well's existence. "We knew that there was a hole, but we thought it was only a septic tank, not a deep well," they said.

They said Warjono fell into the well at around 2 p.m.

"Warjono screamed for help. Two friends were unable to get him out because of the gas," Suharsono said.

A team of five marines wearing gas masks removed the body half an hour later.

Warjono's roommate Rikar said Warjono had arrived in town Tuesday morning.

"He doesn't have anybody here. He lives with me in Cibubur. We're close neighbors back in our home village of Mukiran, near Semarang, Central Java.

"Now I don't know how I will tell his family about his death," he said.

Warjono's body was taken to the Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital yesterday afternoon for a postmortem. (cst)