40-Metre Scaffold Collapses In Japan, Three Workers Critical

Tokyo: A scaffold around the height of 12-storey building collapsed in Japan on Tuesday, leaving three workers in a critical condition and one missing, local media reported.

The spectacular industrial accident at a steelworks near Tokyo saw the 40-metre (130-feet) structure give way during the dismantling of a crane, broadcaster NHK reported.

Aerial footage from NHK showed a large, water-filled hole at the portside complex in Kawasaki, with fire engines and rescue crews at the scene and divers conducting searches.

Five people fell when the scaffold collapsed, according to NHK, citing police and fire officials.

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Of them, three were left unconscious in a critical condition, while one was conscious and another remained missing, the reports said.

Kanagawa Prefecture Police told AFP the accident "happened at a steelworks of JFE Steel in Kawasaki City", about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Tokyo, without giving further details.

The site is located in a corner of the waterfront area of Kawasaki, where work was underway to dismantle the cranes used for unloading cargo from ships, according to NHK.

JFE Steel is Japan's number two steelmaker after Nippon Steel.

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