A Nigerian man died yesterday when a massive rubber pipe used by fish farms fell on him after a chain gave way as it was being lifted by a crane.

The 45-year-old man, who lived in Ħal Far, was one of four workers at a concrete batching plant in Kirkop when the accident occurred shortly after noon.

It happened at the Ebcon Group plant in Industry Street. The group owns two fish farming subsidiaries.

Sources said the heavy rubber pipe, which was filled with expanded polystyrene, came plummeting down, hitting the man on the head. A large bloodstain could be seen on the black pipe.

He was crushed and his neck, legs and arms were snapped.

His co-workers were in shock and disbelief. They tried to administer first aid but he was certified dead by a medical team that arrived shortly after the accident.

The police said an autopsy was expected to be carried out today.

Duty Magistrate Miriam Hayman appointed several court experts to assist her in an inquiry.

The accident comes just two days after a French woman had a lucky escape when she was struck by a two-metre metal pole that fell from an apartment block under construction in Gżira.

The woman is still in hospital recovering from her injuries.

On February 3 this year, another man died in Sliema after a tower crane cable snapped and a heavy, metal pulley plunged on to him, killing him on the spot.