Two students were visiting the poultry food processing facility to study its wastewater treatment system when one of them fell into the pipe system, the company said.

CPF environment official Chatree Srisankhon, who was assigned to show the students around, jumped in to save the girl and three other workers also went in to help in a vain rescue bid.

Parisothat Punnabhum, CPF senior executive vice president for human resources, said the wastewater treatment pipe system was a controlled zone and barred to unauthorised persons as it could yield a gas causing unconsciousness.

Statement of condolence

When police and rescue workers arrived at the scene shortly after the 10am accident, they inserted an oxygen tube into the pipe to safely carry out their search and rescue mission, deputy inspector Pol Captain Phumwattana Ritthong at the Bang Na precinct said.

Thirty minutes later, they found the bodies of two men and two women. The fifth victim, who was still alive, was rushed to Bang Na Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

The five victims were: a Chulalongkorn University (CU)’s Faculty of Veterinary Science student identified as Wai, Chatree, and three CPF workers Somporn Boonban, Chanchai Pannakhin and Lakchanok Saenthaweesoon.

Their bodies were taken for autopsy at the university’s forensic science department.

CPF issued a statement to offer condolences to the victims’ families and express its willingness to take responsibility in providing remedial measures for the families, including funeral assistance money, compensations and scholarships until bachelor degree level for the children of the deceased.

Parisothat insisted in the firm’s statement that their standards met occupational safety and health and environment requirements, while also strictly implementing measures to prevent accidents.

Meanwhile, CU Faculty of Veterinary Science dean Rungroj Thanawongnuvej said the department had learned about what happened and had talked with the deceased student’s parents to offer condolences. Besides covering the student’s and parents’ expenses as they lived upcountry, the department would also host the student Abhidhamma funeral prayer, he added.