Over last weekend, a pedestrian fell into a manhole on Pikk street in Tallinn's Old Town.The individual, reportedly a professional movie stunt worker, was not seriously injured, according to ETV.
Telecom company Elion, which uses the manhole for cables, said it inspected the site after the accident and found that the cover had been turned upside down, making it a threat to passersby.
Wells for utility networks, water wells, underground tanks, and other similar structures have been a danger all over Estonia, mostly in the countryside.
There is a national hotline for reporting hazardous manholes, 1524, and even an app for mapping them. Last year alone, the tipline received hundreds of reports. Most accidents occur in less developed areas where well coverings are not properly marked or maintained.
An awareness campaign was launched last year amid a spate of tragic injuries and deaths. In one accident last year, an elderly woman and her dog were found dead in an old well. The wooden cover, covered by brush, had apparently failed to support their weight. In another case, in 2011, a 22-year-old woman walking by the Pärnu river fell to her death in an uncovered manhole. Prosecutors ended their investigation without anyone being held liable.
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