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NT WorkSafe Probes Outback Toilet Collapse That Trapped Tourist in Sewage Pit

The case spotlights weak safety checks at remote sites without phone coverage.

Overview

  • A tourist at the Henbury Meteorites Conservation Zone fell about two metres when a rusty long-drop toilet floor gave way, leaving her stuck waist-deep in waste.
  • With no mobile signal at the site about 145 km south of Alice Springs, her husband drove off to find help as she waited for hours.
  • A passing tradesman dismantled part of the structure and used a tow rope to pull her out in a 45-minute rescue.
  • She suffered minor cuts, was treated at Alice Springs Hospital, and was described as shaken.
  • NT WorkSafe said the collapse is a “dangerous incident” under work health and safety laws, and an investigation is underway that could spur checks on remote pit toilets.