3 workers dead after trench collapses in Lirya Payam

Three workers employed by a contractor died when a trench they were working in collapsed in Lirya Payam of Juba County on Thursday morning, a local official said.

Three workers employed by a contractor died when a trench they were working in collapsed in Lirya Payam of Juba County on Thursday morning, a local official said.

Christopher Sebit, the Executive Director of Lirya Payam, told Radio Tamazuj that the three workers who died were part of the workers installing and laying internet cables in the area.

“The trench was deep, and when it collapsed, the three workers died on the spot. We have just buried them, and the incident occurred around 9 am,” Christopher said.

The local official identified the victims as Lino Samuel Okilo, Emmanuel Biago and Sebit John Juliano.

When asked about the security situation after the incident, Mr. Sebit said: “We have put the arrangements in place; we have the police and National Security. We have beefed up security to provide security in the area.”

According to the executive director, residents of Lirya are unhappy about the incident and accuse the company contracted to instal internet cables of negligence.  

Meanwhile, Abraham Laku, a doctor at Liya Healthcare Centre, said: “The three workers were digging the trenches, almost three meters down for the internet wire. Accidentally, the trench fell on them, and nobody was near them.”

 “People went to the scene after they died and started removing the soil from their bodies. They were brought to me when they were already dead. So I examined them, and I found that they died of suffocation, so that is what I wrote in the medical report,” he added.

This is the first incident of its kind in the area.

 South Sudan government has started laying cables to bring broadband Internet to its citizens.

The world’s youngest nation has telecom operators but lacks the infrastructure to offer high-speed Internet connections.