A 47-year-old workman who was climbing out of a manhole in a street in Kariya, Aichi Prefecture, has died after being hit by a car on Friday.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 10:20 a.m. Friday. Fuji TV reported that Terumasa Hayashi had been inspecting sewage pipes. When he lifted the manhole lid, which was on a crossing at an intersection, and stuck his head out, he was hit by a car making a right turn and fell three meters back down.

Hayashi was taken to hospital where he remained in a coma until he died early Saturday morning. The 47-year-old driver of the car was quoted by police as saying he didn't see the man pop his head out of the manhole.

Police said at the time of the accident, there was no barrier around the manhole cover. There was one security guard directing traffic but he was facing north when Hayashi lifted the manhole cover and was hit by a car traveling south.

© Japan Today