A passerby noticed a manhole with its heavy cover removed in a vacant lot on McDougall Road between 8th and 9th Street N.E. Wednesday morning and alerted ENMAX, the city-owned utility. The company then called 911.

"He's face down in about six to eight inches (15 to 20 centimetres) of water," said Jeff Budai, spokesman for the Calgary fire department. "He's been that way since we got here."

It doesn't appear that the man is an employee of the city or ENMAX, Budai added.

ENMAX had to shut down power to the manhole before firefighters could remove the body. (Doug Hanley/CBC)

It took three hours for ENMAX to shut down power to the electrical shaft and for crews to check the air quality before firefighters could recover the body safely.

Officials said they don't know what the man was doing in the manhole, how long he'd been there or how he died. An autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday.

However, there's evidence he may have been trying to steal copper wire in the shaft. Cut copper wire was visible around the manhole, and some tools were found at the scene.

The underground shaft, full of electrical cables, is about three metres deep and recently supplied power to a nearby linen factory that was torn down.

The man was found just before noon Wednesday when a passerby noticed an uncovered manhole. While police have yet to confirm whether the man was trying to steal wire, or how he died, sources said crews found tools near his body that indicate he was. A witness said he saw wire around the hole.

Submitted on 03/29/2009

Submitted by: Ian Cohen
Reference: Calgary Herald July 25th & 26th 2008

Copyright © 2009 DarwinAwards.com

Bruce said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
We've had other stories of people dying in manholes, like the guy who tried to fish out his car keys that he dropped. However I believe this is the first case of a copper thief going out in this manner, and since Darwin is still collecting copper thief stories I'm sure she'll love getting this one. Thanks, Ian!

Candi said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
I got suspicious when I saw the reference date, so I ran a search. This is a repeat of http://darwinawards.com/slush/200806/pending20080626-175830.html that we received last June. Don't forget to search the last calendar year as well, ESP. if that's when the story's from! Thanks, and submit again!

Tracy said:
Definitely Toss: Repeat
Thanks, but we already have this story.

James said:
Definitely Keep: For Darwin's Eyes
Though this is a repeat, I think the idea is for Darwin to see/collect as many of these as possible...

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