VIC:Missing worker feared dead at sewage plant

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2011
VIC:Missing worker feared dead at sewage plant

MELBOURNE, Dec 1 AAP - A frantic rescue mission is turning into a recovery effort after
a failed day of searching for a worker believed to have fallen into a giant tank at Melbourne's
main sewage treatment plant.

Rescuers spent more than eight hours on Thursday scouring the massive network of pipes,
tanks and drains where the 52-year-old man is now feared to have died.

"The likelihood for someone surviving for that time, in those conditions, is most unlikely,"

Sergeant Simon Brand told Network Ten.

The worker had been carrying out routine sampling works at Melbourne Water's Eastern
Treatment Plant, in the southern suburb of Bangholme near Dandenong, when he failed to
return to the on-site laboratory at 8.45am (AEDT) on Thursday.

No one actually saw him fall into the tank, but his car remained at the plant, as did
his keys, and some of his work equipment was found near a 1.5 million-litre sewage tank.

Melbourne Water pumped sludge out of the pit and specialist divers were also on scene,
sifting through the muck.

By early evening, they still hadn't found him.

The man's family has been contacted and Melbourne Water is working with the contracting
company and police to keep them regularly updated on their efforts.

The Country Fire Authority, State Emergency Service, Ambulance Victoria, police and
WorkSafe were all called to the scene.

The plant treats 40 per cent of Melbourne's sewage, or about 312 million litres a day.

AAP sbl/mn/sn/

KEYWORD: SEWAGE 2ND UPDATE

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.