A 34-year-old maintenance worker was found drowned inside a cooling tower tank at the Kuala Langat Power Plant on Monday morning after an extensive search operation lasting nearly nine hours.
The local man was discovered at around 4am after firefighters were called to the plant following reports that he had fallen into a water storage tank.
Selangor Fire and Rescue Department Operations Division assistant director Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the Banting Fire and Rescue Station received an emergency call at 7.26pm on Sunday and immediately dispatched a team to the location.
He said the Water Rescue Team (PPDA) from the KLIA and Port Klang fire stations was also mobilised to assist with the search.
“Initial information found that the victim was carrying out maintenance work with a colleague to replace wooden components at the cooling tower.
“His colleague left the area to collect more wood. When he returned about 15 minutes later, he realised the victim was missing,” Ashrul said in a statement on Monday.
The colleague initially believed the victim had gone to the washroom before becoming suspicious that he might have fallen into the tank.
The victim’s disappearance was subsequently reported to the supervisor, who contacted the fire department for assistance.
Firefighters first drained the first tank but were unable to locate the missing worker. The operation was then expanded to the second tank, which was about 10 metres deep.
After water was pumped out from the second tank, rescuers finally located the victim.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene before his remains were handed over to police for further action.
