A worker has tragically lost his life at a demolition site in Osaka, Japan, after a 10-tonne lift counterweight fell on him. The incident occurred at the former Sharp Sakai Plant, where emergency services were called around 8:00am following reports that an elevator had fallen on a worker.
Firefighters and police rushed to the scene, initially believing a lift had trapped a 62-year-old worker underneath. However, upon arrival, they discovered that a counterweight connected to the lift had come loose and fatally crushed the man. Japanese broadcaster Asashi TV reported the counterweight weighed approximately 10 tonnes. Lift counterweights are designed to balance the weight of the lift car.
Demolition work was underway at the site, with teams reportedly dismantling the lift system when the fatal incident occurred. Workers had been on site since 6:00am. When rescue personnel reached the victim, he had already died from his injuries. The man was not employed by Sharp but was a contractor hired for the demolition work.
The former Sharp Sakai Plant once operated as a production facility for LCD panels but is currently being demolished to allow for site redevelopment. Fire officials believe the chain connecting the lift car to the counterweight had broken, though the precise cause remains unknown. Authorities have opened an inquiry into the deadly incident.
