Ondo bricklayer, apprentice die in 40-foot well over bucket

Two middle-aged bricklayers reportedly drowned in a 40-foot well in Akure, the Ondo State capital, weekend, in their bid to recover the can they were using to fetch water.

The identities of the deceased could not be ascertained at press time.

An eyewitness said in Akure that the incident occurred at Omu Street along Old Ondo Road in the metropolis.

Report had it that one of the bricklayers went to fetch water after resuming at a construction site in the area.

Their pail reportedly dropped into the well and the master, after waiting endlessly for him to return with water to mix the sand and cement, went in search of him.

On getting to the well, he reportedly discovered that the bucket was half full, but his assistant was missing.

He was said to have peeped inside the well and discovered that his boy was struggling and shouting for help. He jumped inside the well with the hope of rescuing his assistant, but they both died in the process.

The third bricklayer working with them raised alarm.

Other bricklayers working in the area, instead of racing to the scene, reportedly fled the vicinity for fear of arrest by the Police.

By the time officials of the state fire service arrived the scene, both had given up the ghost. Their remains were pulled out by the officials of the fire service.

Officials of the state fire service reportedly attributed their death to inhaling of a poisonous gas inside the deep well. The corpses have been deposited at the state specialist hospital.

Contacted, the Police image-maker, Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident, describing their death as one that could have been avoided.

According to him, they ought to have used other means to retrieve the fetching pail from the well instead of jumping in.

Joseph said the corpses are awaiting autopsy after which they will be released to their families for burial.