TWO Gweru City Council workers reportedly suffocated in a sewage manhole after inhaling suspected toxic gases on Wednesday this week.
Council spokesperson Vimbai Chingwaramusee confirmed the tragic incident in a statement yesterday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the tragic loss of two city employees who passed away while on duty in Athlone. The incident occurred when they were working on a manhole and unfortunately succumbed to gas suffocation,” she said.
“We will conduct thorough investigations into this incident to ensure that measures are put in place to prevent such tragedies from occurring in the future.”
Chingwaramusee, however, said council valued the lives and safety of its employees as well as residents.
Meanwhile, Gweru mayor Martin Chivhoko has identified the deceased as Richard Longwe and Mary Svinurai.
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He told Southern Eye in an interview that it was disheartening to lose hard-working employees in such a tragic incident.
“This is, indeed, a sad situation and on behalf of councillors and management, I say we are deeply saddened by the loss of Longwe and Svinurai who passed away while serving our community in Athlone,” he said.
Several people, however, took to social media platforms to register their displeasure at the loss of the workers and implored council to ensure “high safety standards” for its employees.