Man dies after being found unresponsive in Fairbault manhole

FARIBAULT, MN – On Friday morning, Faribault first responders discovered a man in a manhole filled with toxic fumes and dangerously low oxygen levels. The incident occurred at approximately 7:31 a.m. in the 1900 block of Second Avenue NW, where emergency services were alerted to an unresponsive individual in a sanitary sewer access structure.

Responding to the scene were the Faribault Fire Department, Faribault Police Department, Rice County Sheriff’s Office, and North Memorial Ambulance. Upon arrival, firefighters identified the presence of hazardous fumes and descended into the manhole to administer oxygen to the man, who was already deceased. After retrieving the victim, he was transported by North Ambulance to the local airport, where a helicopter was waiting to take him to a hospital.

An investigation into the incident was conducted by the Faribault Fire Department and the Faribault Police Department, with the Minnesota Duty Officer contacting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to report the situation as a workplace-related accident.

Faribault Fire Chief Dusty Dienst explained that while the gases—hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide—are commonly associated with sewage, their lethal effect in this case was due to their high concentration in the confined space. Dienst confirmed that the victim was a private contractor’s employee and noted that, although manholes are equipped with built-in ladders, the exact reason for the man’s inability to escape remains unclear.

The toxic fumes, coupled with the low oxygen levels, were the primary factors that led to the man’s tragic death.