Two men overcome by paint fumes while working inside a water tower in the north Caddo Parish town of Vivian were revived inside the tank by rescue workers Thursday afternoon.
The men were then able to climb down the tower's 150-foot ladder to the ground. Neither wanted further medical attention.
The men, who were cleaning and painting the inside of the empty tank, were overcome by fumes after a ventilator either was not working or malfunctioned, rescue workers said.
A co-worker who was outside looked in the drained tank through a hole in the top and saw they were disoriented and called for help, said Brian Crawford of the Shreveport Fire Department, which sent crews to help in the rescue.
Rescue workers went into the tank and revived the men with supplemental oxygen. Both were on the ground a little under two hours after the episode started.
The men were identified as Fredrick Griffin, 39, of Bolivar, Tenn., and Paul Childress, 47, of Florence, Miss.
Vivian Mayor Stephen Taylor said the men worked for a private contractor and were cleaning and paint the inside of the water tower.
The accident happened shortly after 3 p.m.
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