Authorities are investigating a popular hot springs resort after three men have died. Officials believed that they may have died from suspected hydrogen sulfide poisoning.
The resort is located in Japan, which is a country known for its hot springs and communal baths. On February 17, three employees at the hot springs resort had gone to perform a routine maintenance check. But the resort manager and his two employees never returned from their inspection, sparking concern and worry.
According to Japan Today, the three had gone to the Takayu Onsen area in Fukushima around mid-day. But after several hours went by, none of them returned. A fellow hot springs resort employee called first responders and authorities.
Hot Springs Resort Deaths
After the call, a team of 20 police officers and firefighters began to search for the missing men. Authorities later found the men "lying in the snow about 100 meters from the mountain trail entrance north of the hotel between 10 a.m. and noon" the following day. Officials confirmed that all three had died.
The current cause of death has not been revealed. But authorities confirmed a "possibility the three inhaled the deadly gas." The resort has plenty of natural gases such as hydrogen sulfide. It's possible that the trio breathed in a high dosage of the gas. But it's strange considering the three regularly performed maintenance on the pipes.
However, officials reported that there was a higher concentration of gases at the resort. Things got so dicey that search and rescue had tow ear oxygen tanks while searching for the missing men. It's possible that the gas levels reached a dangerous level at that part of the hot springs resort. But exactly why that happened or if that happened remains to be seen.
It's a dark moment on what has been a popular resort. In fact, the Takayu Onsen resort was voted among the best in the country and regularly won national awards. The history of the resort goes back 400 years or more. Exactly what happened will be investigated but it remains a tragedy no matter what.
