Coroner ID's 2 men who died in southern Illinois manhole

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - Two young men who died last week after they entered a southern Illinois manhole where toxic gases were present have been identified by a coroner.

Madison County Coroner Stephen P. Nonn said Jack M. Pfund, 19, of Edwardsville and Cody W. Toenyes, 22, of Bethalto died Friday at a construction site in Edwardsville.

The men were found dead in a manhole leading to a sewer pipe at the residential development, and crews needed advanced breathing equipment to recover their bodies, said Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford.

He said first responders were met with 'œvery little oxygen'ť and a 'œbuildup of toxic gases'ť that likely led to the workers' deaths, the Belleville News-Democra t reported.

An Edwardsville police officer who was among the first responders at the scene was taken to a hospital for evaluation Friday in the city about 20 miles (32.2 kilometers) northeast of St. Louis.

Nonn said Tuesday that autopsies found both Pfund and Toenyes' preliminary causes of death were due to possible asphyxia due to low environmental oxygen and drowning.

Toxicological testing that could determine the final causes of death for both men are pending.

Pfund was the son of Matt Pfund, CEO and President of Pfund Construction, which is developing the residential neighborhood, Edwardsville police said.

Toenyes was engaged to be married and had one daughter with another 'œsoon to arrive," according to his obituary, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.