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Hisashi Ouchi, 35, was a senior technician at the Tokaimura uranium processing plant when he was exposed to unprecedented doses of radiation
Hisashi Ouchi died an agonising death (Image: undefined)
A Japanese nuclear worker suffered what is believed to be the most excruciating death ever recorded after a catastrophic accident resulted in him being "burned from the inside out," in a chilling tragedy.
Hisashi Ouchi, 35, was a senior technician at the Tokaimura uranium processing plant, 70 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan.
On 30 September 1999, a criticality accident - a disastrous nuclear chain reaction - unexpectedly occurred during routine work.
The calamity was sparked by a single error made under the strain of a deadline, unleashing deadly radiation and chaos. Hisashi's colleague Masato Shinohara and supervisor Yutaka Yokokawa poured 16kg of uranium into a processing tank, significantly surpassing the safe limit of 2.4kg.
The consequence was an uncontrollable nuclear reaction that immediately filled the room with lethal radiation. Alarm systems sounded, and the three men were exposed to unprecedented levels of radiation.
Medical professionals prepare to transfer Hisashi Ouchi (Image: undefined)
Masato received around 10,000 millisieverts (mSv), Yutaka approximately 3,000 mSv, but Hisashi's exposure was a staggering 17,000 mSv - the highest radiation dose ever survived, albeit temporarily, in history, reports the Mirror.
Most people exposed to such levels succumb to radiation sickness within days, but Hisashi's survival defied expectations. He was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but the extent of his injuries was beyond comprehension.
He suffered from a lack of white blood cells and an absence of immune response. He was placed in a specialised ward to prevent infection and swiftly transferred to the University of Tokyo Hospital for pioneering stem cell procedures to be trialled.
Over the subsequent 83 days, Hisashi's body transformed into a living nightmare. His skin shed like charred paper, his eyelids "fell off," and he was left weeping blood as his tissues disintegrated.
Fluid inundated his lungs, necessitating ventilator support. His stomach was ravaged by internal cell death, causing agonising pain and up to three litres of diarrhoea daily.
An aerial view shows Japan Nuclear Fuel Conversion Corporation (Image: JIJI PRESS/AFP via Getty Images)
The internal damage was so severe his organs began to shut down. Doctors attempted experimental treatments, including skin grafts, but these efforts failed to halt his decline.
"I can't take it anymore. I am not a guinea pig," Hisashi reportedly said at one point.
He required up to 10 blood transfusions daily just to stay alive and his body constantly leaked fluids from exposed tissues, while painkillers provided no relief. At one point, he reportedly pleaded with doctors to end his suffering.
The accident at Tokaimura was caused by human error and inadequate safety protocols, prompting a major overhaul of Japan's nuclear safety regulations.
It exposed dangerous flaws in industry practices and ignited global discussions on nuclear safety and ethics.
Throughout his ordeal, Hisashi was reportedly conscious at times, enduring horrific pain and suffering. His death on December 21 marked the end of nearly three months of constant pain, with him finally succumbing to multiple organ failure. His body was returned to his home in Kanasago in the Ibaraki Prefecture, accompanied by his wife.
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Hisashi's passing is now regarded as one of the most painfully prolonged in medical history. His colleague Masato Shinohara died in April 2000 from organ failure at 40. Yutaka Yokokawa, the least exposed, survived three months battling radiation sickness but was forever scarred by the trauma.
Following the nuclear accident, around 310,000 of villagers within six miles of the Tokaimura facility were ordered to stay indoors for 24 hours. While over the next 10 days, a massive 10,000 people were checked for radiation which found more than 600 people suffering from low levels.
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