Man dies after falling into well

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)