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The Director of Drainage Services, Mr John Collier, said today (May 2) that he was saddened to hear the death of two workers after collapsing in a manhole in Yau Ma Tei earlier this afternoon.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, Mr Collier also sent his deepest condolences to the workers' families.

The two workers of a contractor for the North West Kowloon Sewerage and West Kowloon Stormwater Drainage Improvement Project collapsed while preparing to clear a blocked sewer down a manhole at Saigon Street near Wai Ching Street at about 2.45 pm.

The workers, aged 38 and 50, were sped to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where they were certified dead after arrival.

The cause of the fatal incident is being investigated.

End/Tuesday, May 2, 2000

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