A London utility worker died Friday after getting crushed while working underneath a “pop-up” public urinal.
To maximize efficiency, the toilets are hidden underground during the day and are raised hydraulically at night, the BBC reported.
While some of the urinals were designed only for men, there are many with sliding doors for privacy so that women can use them, too.
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The man had gotten trapped while performing maintenance work underneath the device.
According to the U.K. Daily Mail, emergency responders were called to the scene, near London’s Palace Theatre, at 1:05 p.m. GMT.
Four fire engines and about 25 firefighters were among the first responders who were called to the scene, the BBC reported. An air ambulance crew was also on hand.
Using cranes and a winch, they were able to retrieve the man by 3:40 p.m., the BBC reported.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Sadly a man has died after being crushed by a telescopic urinal in central London yesterday #london #news #centrallondon pic.twitter.com/AkFY8RzSj5
— Free Seed News (@FreeSeedNews) January 28, 2023
Police, fire crews, paramedics and air ambulance workers were sent to the scene at 1.05pm.
The man became trapped underneath the hydraulic urinal, a pop-up toilet stored beneath the ground which is brought to street level at night for people to use. pic.twitter.com/Hdy57gnuZF
— LondonWorld (@LondonWorldCom) January 27, 2023
His identity has not been released but police said that his next of kin have been notified, the BBC reported.
Flowers at the scene where a workman was crushed to death by a urinal this afternoon in the West End in London. pic.twitter.com/TRrgrrLoC5
— Simon Jones (@SimonJonesNews) January 27, 2023
According to the BBC, the Westminster City Council erected the urinals throughout the city over two decades ago in an attempt to reduce public urination.
A representative for the city council expressed their sympathy for the man’s family.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the friends and family of the worker who tragically died earlier today at this site in the West End,” the representative said, according to the Daily Mail.
“We have been on site supporting our contractor and the emergency services and will assist all investigations in any way we can.”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
