UPDATE: 2 dead, 1 hospitalized after industrial incident in Mobile

UPDATE (Aug. 11, 11:15 a.m.): Two men are dead and another is in the hospital after an incident while they worked in an underground sewer bypass.

The men were contractors working for the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System, and were working in a 4-foot by 4-foot bypass, News 5 has learned.

Mobile Fire Rescue said around 7:15 this morning, the three men were working to fix a sewer bypass on Williamstowne Curve in the Princeton Woods subdivision.

According to officials, one man went down into the 30-foot-deep bypass to begin work, but passed out.

A second contractor noticed the first man did not return, so he went down to help and passed out as well.

A third contractor went down to help and became disoriented, but he was able to get out.

Officials said the oxygen level in the bypass was not enough to sustain the men.

Mobile Fire Rescue at first believed a methane gas leak had caused the men to become “woozy and disoriented,” but Spire confirmed no natural gases were present.

The last man to go in came out of the bypass at 8:49 a.m. and was taken immediately to the hospital.

Firefighters were able to get the second man out at 9:51 a.m., and the third man was retrieved at 10:13 a.m.

The first two to enter the bypass died, and the third is at the hospital.

This story is developing. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Fire Rescue and Mobile Police are on the scene in a wooded area near Princeton Woods.

INCIDENT LOCATION:

According to a Mobile Police Department news release, they are working on an “industrial accident” in that area.

News 5 is on the scene and will update this article as more information becomes available.