Sharp Sakai Plant incident as man crushed to death after ‘elevator fell’

A man has died in a horrific incident at the former Sharp Sakai Plant in Osaka, Japan, after calls to the police and fire department said a worker had become trapped after an “elevator fell”

A man has tragically lost his life while working at a building that will soon be demolished after calls were made that an “elevator fell” on a worker.

The incident at the former Sharp Sakai Plant in Osaka, Japan, occurred at around 8am this morning (June 9) as both fire and police raced to the scene.

Emergency services were initially called to reports the elevator had fallen on a worker, 62, and trapped him. However, on arrival, it was confirmed counterweight connected to the elevator had broken off and fallen on the man.

According to Japanese media outlet Asashi TV, the counterweight weighed around 10 tonnes. An elevator counterweight used to balance the weight of the elevator cab.

The building was undergoing demolition work at the time and it is believed this had seen the process begin of dismantling the elevator. Workers had reportedly been on the site since 6:00am.

When fire crews arrived at the scene to rescue the man, he was tragically already deceased. The man was not an employee of Sharp but a contractor hired for the demolition.

The former Sharp Sakai Plant was once used as a facility related to LCD panel production but is now being knocked down for the site to be redeveloped.

The fire department told the publication that is it is believed the chain connecting the elevator cab and the weight had broken. However, it is currently unknown how.

Police are now investigating the incident.

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