Maintenance workers' bodies recovered from sewage pit at V&A Waterfront

The bodies of two maintenance workers were recovered from a sewage pit behind a hotel at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on Tuesday night.

City of Cape Town fire and rescue services spokesperson Jermaine Carelse said they were alerted at about 6.18pm that two maintenance workers were in the pit at East Pier Road.

Rescue teams, including the city’s Epping training hazmat response team, Spilltech, and ER24 were dispatched.

According to Carelse, the area where the bodies were situated was filled with toxic gases that forced the teams to wear hazmat suits.

The rescuers were connected to an airline and lowered into the pit by rope.

“The first body was retrieved at 10.23pm and the second just after midnight. The scene was handed over to the SAPS for further investigation,” said Carelse.

Western Cape police spokesperson Sgt Noloyiso Rwexana said Table Bay Harbour police opened an inquest case for investigation after the bodies of the two men, aged 22 and 52, were found in the sewage pit.

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