HAWAII COUNTY, HI – The body of a 72-year-old Hawaii man was discovered by Hawaii County firefighters after he fell down a deep shaft. The shaft was about 25-30 feet deep. Moreover, the incident occurred on the Kaumana property where he resided.
According to Hawaii County police, officers responded to a call about a missing person on Monday. Once police arrived at the scene at 2676 Poki Place, police then discovered the man in a freshly caved in section of a well-landscaped property. The land had opened and uncovered a shaft about 24-30-inches deep.
As a result, around 10:17 a.m., the fire department was called in for assistance. They arrived on the scene at 10:35 a.m.
Furthermore, firefighters from East Hawaii’s HazMat station and the Waiakea Rescue Company 2 used a rappel-and-relay system to pull the man out. Inside the shaft, firefighters dropped an individual rescuer using a special breathing tool that provides air from tanks at the surface through a hose.
Moreover, according to a news release issued by the fire department, the man’s body was wrapped up in extremely tight quarters. After finding the 72-year-old, firefighters were able to bring the body up to the surface.
In accordance with reports from the fire department, the man is said to have lived on the property. However, the actual property owner is unknown. The man’s death is still under investigation.