Overview
- The inquiry, launched after the April 16th collapse in a tannery settling pit, now centers on hydrogen sulfide as the likely cause of death while prosecutors await toxicology and review whether a gas detector was used, with carbon monoxide also noted.
- Three men died at the site, two later in hospital, and the owner was among the dead, leaving the family firm down four of seven workers and now closed.
- The mayor announced a memorial at the tannery’s former riverside location in Runkel, and a company from nearby Villmar will provide the stone.
- Firefighters described a traumatic rescue in a narrow pit, and crews underwent decontamination and hospital checks with support from volunteer chaplains.
- The mayor said agency handoffs faltered during the response and urged a single hub for crisis information along with safety rules that very small firms can put into practice.