Taichung: 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 received a report at 10:50 a.m. from a company in Wuqi District, Taichung, about the missing 64-year-old worker, surnamed Chen. Rescue personnel were dispatched to the scene immediately.
According to Focus Taiwan, rescue personnel discovered Chen's body inside the sewage tank after partially draining the wastewater. The body was retrieved at 12:28 p.m. and handed over to police authorities. Police confirmed that no visible external injuries were found on the body, and preliminary forensic examinations at the scene indicated no signs of foul play.
The Taichung City Department of Labor Inspection has initiated an occupational accident investigation and has ordered the company to halt operations until improvements to workplace safety conditions are made. If the company is found to have violated the Occupational Safety and Health Act, it could face a fine ranging from NT$30,000 (US$956) to NT$300,000. The case may also be referred to judicial authorities based on the severity of the violation, the department stated.