A desperate rescue operation was underway on Monday after a construction worker fell into a 19-metre-deep shaft at the Orange Line railway construction site near Soi Lan Luang 6 in Bangkok.
The incident occurred around noon along Lan Luang Road in Pom Prap Sattru Phai district, according to the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.
A witness at the scene, identified only as Chart, 41, said around eight workers were on duty when the accident happened.
The victim, reported to be from Si Sa Ket province, had been tightening a nut on machinery near the edge of the excavation when the sandy soil beneath him gave way, sending him plunging into the pit.
Video footage showed the hole rapidly filling with water, further complicating the rescue.
Emergency crews, supported by volunteers, were using excavators and pumps in an attempt to reach the trapped man.
One rescuer who rappelled into the shaft said he had searched to the full 19-metre depth but found no sign of the victim. He feared the worker could be buried even deeper under soft soil and rising water.
An ambulance remained on standby as the victim’s family arrived at the scene, anxiously waiting for updates and hoping for a miracle.
The accident occurred at the future Lan Luang Station site, part of the Orange Line extension linking Bang Khun Non and the Thailand Cultural Centre.
Phet Pumma, director of the Pom Prap Sattru Phai District Office, arrived at the scene around 12:30pm after being notified of the incident. He said unstable, muddy ground was making rescue efforts especially challenging.
“The soil is very soft, and we must first stabilise the walls with metal sheets before attempting deeper excavation,” he said.
