New Taipei school janitor dies in possible earthquake-linked accident

New Taipei, Dec. 28 (CNA) A janitor died early Sunday after being found collapsed near a ladder at an elementary school in New Taipei's Wugu District following a strong earthquake that shook much of Taiwan late Saturday night.

The New Taipei City Police Department's Luzhou Precinct said Sunday that the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck off of Yilan County shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday damaged pipes at the school, leading to water leaks inside the building.

The 62-year-old school maintenance worker surnamed Lin (林) was found at around 2:45 a.m. lying on the floor of a fourth-floor restroom with a metal ladder beside him, police said.

Firefighters were called to the scene and transported the man to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Officers from the Luzhou Precinct had entered the school with a school security guard after receiving a report about the water leak, police said.

According to police, surveillance footage shows that the maintenance worker went from his dormitory to the school basement to retrieve an aluminum ladder before going upstairs to check the damaged water pipes after the earthquake struck.

The case has been reported to prosecutors, who will conduct an investigation to clarify the cause of death, police said.