A tragedy on a farm in Walchwil, in the canton of Zug, Switzerland, resulted in the death of a 69-year-old man following an accident at work on Thursday morning. During the rescue attempts, three rescuers suffered serious injuries and were removed from the scene by helicopters from the Rega air rescue service, according to a statement from local authorities.
The unfortunate incident took place around 9:30 am on a rural property near Hinterberg, within the municipality of Walchwil. The victim, who was working in a manure warehouse, fell into the pit, the causes of which fell are still under investigation.
Two workers, aged 24 and 53, promptly rushed to help their colleague in trouble. However, as they approached, they were exposed to toxic gases from manure, substances common in confined environments such as septic tanks, which can be lethal and cause serious injuries. Two other individuals who also tried to provide assistance showed similar symptoms. Three of the impacted rescuers received emergency care on site and were subsequently airlifted by Rega aircraft to different hospital units, while the fourth was sent by land ambulance.
For the main victim, however, rescue actions were unable to reverse the situation. He was finally pulled from the pit by multiple crews from the Walchwil fire department, who were wearing respiratory protective equipment. Despite intense efforts and immediate medical care provided at the scene, the man did not survive and died.
The complex rescue operation mobilized a significant contingent of approximately 50 professionals. Among those involved were members of the fire departments of Walchwil and the Zug base (FFZ), experts from the fire inspection, a Zug rescue team with ambulance, an emergency doctor and an incident commander. In addition, three Rega rescue helicopters, representatives of the consultancy center for the prevention of accidents in agriculture (BUL) and several Zug police officers actively participated.