TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — Authorities have recovered the bodies of three men after they succumbed to toxic sewer gas on Wednesday afternoon in Southeast Texas.

Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace reported that the emergency call came in around 3:52 p.m. The men were discovered unconscious at a sewer plant in the Westwood Shores area. Deputy Chief Jeremy Carroll noted that officials recovered two of the bodies by 7 p.m., with the third located shortly thereafter.

Authorities said two of the men worked for H2O Innovation and the third for Hydroclear.

• John Nelson Sr, 52 of Cleveland – H2O Innovation
• Bradley Wrightsman, 46 of Katy- H2O Innovation
• Brad Hutton, 47 of Willis – Hydroclear Services

Carroll explained that a crew member was dealing with a manhole issue and attempted to seal a line following a water leak that threatened to cause sewage backup. Unfortunately, he lost consciousness in the process.

“It seems a crew member went in to seal the line to stop the sewage from flooding their work area,” Carroll stated. “As the gas accumulated, it caused him a medical problem, overcoming him, and prompting a colleague from the same company to enter the manhole after him.”

The second individual also lost consciousness upon entry. A third person followed suit and likewise became unconscious. Authorities are currently in the process of contacting the families.

Carroll speaks on recovery efforts:

The incident involved hydrogen sulfide gas, which prompted a temporary shelter-in-place advisory for nearby residents, lifted shortly after 5 p.m. Sheriff Wallace assured there is no current threat to public safety, though people were requested to steer clear of the area within a quarter-mile of the plant as first responders conducted their operations.

Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic, flammable, colorless gas and is described to have a “rotten egg” smell. The gas is commonly found in manholes and sewers due to bacterial breakdown of organic matter, especially in stagnant wastewater.

On Thursday, Deputy Regional Director with the U.S. Department of Labor, Juan Rodriquez, told KETK News that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) opened an investigation into the incident.

Rodriquez said OSHA has six months to complete the investigation and no additional information will be provided during its course. Updates are available through OSHA’s Establishment Search page.

H2O Innovation President and CEO Frédéric Dugré has released a statement following this tragic incident:

“This is a profoundly difficult day for our team. Earlier today, two H₂O Innovation employees and a contractor lost their lives in a tragic work accident. They were valued members of our team, and their sudden passing is an immense loss not only to their families and friends but also to all of us who had the privilege of working alongside them.

Right now, we know that several members of our team and a team of contractors we work closely with reported to a scene in Trinity to conduct repairs. While working on a sewer, three people died. We are still working to determine what led up to the deaths, working closely with the Trinity County Sheriff’s Office and other local officials. Safety and training are incredibly important to us.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the three people who lost their lives. This is a sad day for our entire team. Right now, we are focused on doing all we can to support the families of those employees and the rest of our team. Out of respect for them and the continuing investigation, we will release more information when it is available and as permitted by the families and law enforcement.”

Frédéric Dugré

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