Taichung worker found dead in sewage tank

Taipei, March 1 (CNA) A worker at a company in Taichung was found dead in a sewage tank on Sunday after losing contact during a chemical feeding operation earlier that day, the Taichung City Government Fire Bureau said.

The bureau said it received a report at 10:50 a.m. from a company in Wuqi District, Taichung, that it had lost contact with a 64-year-old worker, surnamed Chen (陳), after which rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene.

Rescue personnel found the man dead inside the sewage tank after partially draining the wastewater. His body was removed at 12:28 p.m. and handed over to police, the fire bureau said.

Police said no visible external injuries were found on the body, and a preliminary forensic examination at the scene found no signs of foul play.

The Taichung City Department of Labor Inspection said it has sent personnel to conduct an occupational accident investigation and ordered the company to suspend operations pending improvements to workplace safety conditions.

If the company is found to have violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it could face a fine of between NT$30,000 (US$956) and NT$300,000, and the case could be referred to judicial authorities depending on the severity of the violation, the department said.