A maintenance worker in London was killed Friday after he became trapped underneath the telescoping “pop-up” urinal he was reportedly working on.
Multiple emergency services were called to London’s West End Friday afternoon in response to a “seriously injured man,” who had been working on a nearby telescoping urinal, Sky News reported.
“We sent a number of resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, members of our hazardous area response team, members of our tactical response unit and a medic in a fast response car. We also dispatched London’s Air Ambulance,” a London Ambulance Service spokesman told the outlet.
Man dies after being crushed by hydraulic urinal while working on the device in central London https://t.co/ayXMVoQnub
— BBC Breaking News (@BBCBreaking) January 27, 2023
Despite efforts from emergency personnel, the unnamed man was pronounced dead at the scene after a more than two-hour rescue effort, according to BBC. (RELATED: Child Crushed To Death By Marble Statue In Munich)
Telescoping or “pop-up” toilets were brought into public use 20 years ago by the Westminster City Council in an effort to stem street urination, the outlet stated. The toilets are hidden underground during the day and are hydraulically lifted to the street surface at night for use.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of the worker who tragically died earlier today at this site in the West End. We have been on site supporting our contractor and the emergency services and will assist all investigations in any way we can,” a spokesperson for the Westminster City Council told BBC.