These telescopic urinals are deployed at night in the Soho district of central London, where there are many theatres, bars and restaurants.
A technician working on a telescopic urinal, which can fold and retract completely into the ground when not in use, died after being crushed by the equipment in the heart of London on Friday, police report.
Police said “despite the efforts of the emergency services”, the man was “pronounced dead at the scene”, and added that a security cordon remained in place.
three hour break
According to firefighters, the device was trapped below street level at the intersection of Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road while maintenance work was being carried out there. The hydraulic system would have been shut down on it while it put this toilet in “night” mode to enable it to carry out repairs or control missions.
These urinals are actually deployed in the evenings in this lively and festive area of central London which has many theatres, bars and restaurants. They hide underground during the day and are posted at night.
Immediately alerted, the London Fire Brigade dispatched four trucks and 25 men to try to rescue the man. A winch was also used to free it. According to the BBC, rescue teams were sent to the scene at 1 pm and the victim’s body could not be retrieved until three hours later.
