Posted on 08/31/2004 2:51:30 PM PDT by billorites
ST-JEAN-BAPTISTE-DE-ROUVILLE, Que. (CP) - Campers yelled for help and tried in vain, but failed to save three people who fell into a septic tank at a campground early Saturday.
The 56-year-old owner of the Lac du Repos campground, east of Montreal, went down a hole with his son-in-law and another camper around midnight to clear a blocked drain near the tank, said Quebec provincial police.
The men were overcome by fumes in the septic tank and fell unconscious.
A fourth man was also overpowered by the fumes and fell from a ladder after climbing down the four-metre hole to rescue them. He was taken to hospital and was in critical condition.
Eight people who tried to help until rescue workers arrived were also treated for exposure to the toxic fumes and released from hospital.
The three men died in hospital after eventually being pulled out by the rescue workers.
Autopsies will be done this week.
"We're going to find out if they died just because of the fumes or if they died because they drowned in the (human waste)," said police spokesman Const. Ronald Mc Innis.
There was panic at the campground, one camper told all-news channel, LCN.
"Everyone was yelling 'Help,' " a woman said. "I woke up and went to look at what was in the hole. They were dead."
Two firemen were also treated in hospital for exposure to the fumes.
The police did not release the victims' names.
Mc Innis said such accidents are not common in Quebec.
He reminded people that only professionals should fix septic tanks.
"For everybody who owns a septic tank that needs repairs, they should always give the job to a professional." Mc Innis said. "They know exactly how to do it."
St-Jean-Baptiste-de-Rouville is about 30 kilometres east of Montreal.
80% of 'confined space' fatalities are from would be rescuers.
What a waste.
refused to come out smelling like a rose.......
Ya beat Me to it.
Most people don't even think about the jobs that some of Us do.
Remember this when people say plumbers make too much money.
I always laugh at the custom vanity plate the truck possesses.
S L U R P
Since spokesmen usually lie, may I infer that "[french speaking] Quebec has an epidemic level of people-drowning-in-shit"?
I was driving along the freeway on Monday and saw a dirt truck with a sign on it saying: "Smith brothers trucking: Because everybody loves a good dump."
In that line of work, you've got to have a good sense of humor.
I will try to never again complain at work. WOW!
(Actually I really like designing and flying spacecraft) I feel really fortunate.
This is a sad story. :-(
Can you say 'rope'? Now say it in French!
I just had my annual retraining two weeks ago.
Kinda puts a new light on things don't it?
That's a crappy way to die.
Actually not really. I already knew I was fortunate to have a job I like. However, I worked my ass off in school and at work to get where I am.
I will have to admit I did have a bit of help by one of my Grad Profs getting into the interplanetary programs and JPL.
Hold muh French beer.
I was doing a renovation at a house on Quadra Island in BC, lots of draft dodging pot smoking liberals there..Honey pot truck driver shows up, looks like uncle jess from dukes of hazard, wearing bib overalls, no shirt....and Birkenstocks, open toes and all...man what a guy..pulls up the hose from the tank and splat all over his feet....oh BARF...he just shook it off and went on his merry way...we couldn't stop laughing...it was so disgusting but hysterical at the same time..
LOL
MD
In the oilfields we had H2S detectors, as hydrogen sulfide is odorless. When you broke a flange, you had your H2S detector, if it turned brown you did not wait to leave the area immediately. They say that one gets a peppermint taste in their mouth and have little time before death follows.
Is this a joke? if not, I guess it's just irony.
Yeah, I saw that.
I've just spent the summer traveling through Quebec and the jokes about place names has been just too easy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.