SHAH ALAM, Aug 10 — A contract worker drowned after he was believed to have fallen into a five-metre-deep water tank while carrying out maintenance work at the cooling tower of the Kuala Langat Power Plant in Kuala Langat here yesterday.

Selangor Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) assistant director (Operations) Ashrul Riezal Asbar said the department was informed of the incident at about 7.29pm before personnel were deployed to the scene.

He said the body of the 34-year-old local man was found at about 4am today after a search operation was conducted in two pools at the power plant.

“The victim was carrying out maintenance work with a colleague to replace wood at the cooling tower before his colleague left to get more wood. When the colleague returned to the location 15 minutes later, he found that the victim was no longer there.

“Initially, the colleague thought the victim might have gone to the washroom, but became suspicious that he may have fallen after he failed to return. The colleague then informed the supervisor, who conducted a roll call and found that the victim was missing,” he said in a statement.

He said the case had been handed over to police for further action, while the operation involving personnel from Banting Fire and Rescue Station (BBP), Port Klang BBP and KLIA BBP ended at 5.05am today. — Bernama