Pensioner Dies Head-First in Sewer Manhole in France While Searching for Dropped Keys

In the French town of Lingolsheim, near Strasbourg, a 70-year-old man died after becoming trapped head-first in a sewer shaft he had climbed into to retrieve his dropped keys. The tragedy occurred on Sunday morning as the pensioner was returning home and reaching into his pocket for his keys — they slipped out of his hand and fell through a gap in a manhole cover.

The man lifted the cover and tried to reach the keys, but slid into the shaft and was unable to climb back out on his own. According to police, a neighbor noticed what was happening after seeing the man searching for keys that had fallen to the bottom of the sewer.

The pensioner, who reportedly suffered from unspecified health problems, became stuck upside down in a vertical position, with only his legs visible above the surface.

Witnesses called the fire brigade and an ambulance. However, by the time the man was pulled from the shaft, paramedics could only pronounce him dead.

Following the incident, local authorities issued a warning to residents: never climb into a sewer shaft on your own, even if something has fallen inside. Manhole openings are typically narrow, making it easy for a person to become trapped, and sewer systems often contain toxic gases or lack sufficient oxygen.

“If an object cannot be reached, it’s best to contact the network operator or the town hall,” the authorities stressed.

Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz