A technician working on a telescopic urinal, which can retract and fully retract into the ground when not in use, died on Friday after being crushed by the device in the heart of London, police said.
“Despite the efforts of the emergency services,” the man was “pronounced dead at the scene,” police said, adding that a security cordon was maintained.
Three hours of intervention
According to fire officials, the man had been trapped below street level, at the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road, by this device while carrying out maintenance operations there. The hydraulic system would have closed on him, while he had put this toilet in “night” mode so he could perform his repair or control mission.
These urinals, in fact, are installed at night in this lively and festive area of central London, where there are many theatres, bars and restaurants. They hide underground during the day and unfold at dusk.
Quickly alerted, London firefighters sent four trucks and 25 people to try to free this man. A winch was also used to free it. According to the BBC, rescue teams were dispatched to the scene at 1pm and the victim’s body was not removed for three hours.
Source: BFM TV
