2 cleaners die of suspected H2S poisoning at Beitou hot spring hotel

Taipei, Nov. 2 (CNA) Two cleaners died on Sunday after suffering suspected hydrogen sulfide (H2S) poisoning at a hot spring hotel in Taipei's Beitou District, authorities said.

The Taipei City Fire Department said it received a call at 10:49 a.m. about two workers who lost consciousness while cleaning a water storage tank at a hot spring hotel off Wenquan Road.

Upon arriving, firefighters found the two workers -- identified as a 54-year-old man surnamed Hsieh (謝) and a 42-year-old woman surnamed Yun (雲) -- not breathing and without heartbeats, authorities said.

The two individuals were taken to an area hospital, where they were later pronounced dead, authorities said, adding that the exact cause of death would be determined via autopsy.

Local media reported that firefighters initially detected hydrogen sulfide inside the storage tank at a concentration of 200 parts per million, far higher than the legal limit of 10 ppm.

Firefighters had to set up equipment to ventilate and remove water from the tank, reducing the H2S concentration to around 85 ppm, before descending into the tank to extricate the two individuals who were taken to hospital at 12:15 p.m., the reports said.

Hydrogen sulfide is a gas which gives sulfur springs their characteristic rotten egg smell.

According to Taiwan's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), H2S can cause loss of smell at a concentration of 100-150 ppm and marked eye and respiratory irritation at 200-300 ppm.

At a concentration of 500-700 ppm, it can cause a person to collapse in only five minutes and die within 30-60 minutes, OSHA guidelines show.

Taipei City's Labor Inspection Office said in a statement that the hotel where the accident occurred was not open to the public at the time.

Based on a preliminary investigation, the hotel "conducted drainage" on the storage tank on Friday in order to have workers clean silt from the inside on Sunday.

The H2S was likely released into the air as the cleaners were scrubbing the tank, the office said. The hotel has been ordered not to resume cleaning the tank as the accident is investigated.

In addition, Taipei hot spring operators, many of whom are now cleaning their storage tanks in preparation for the winter season, have been asked to enhance employee training related to working in confined spaces, the labor office said.