Dean Rodighiero dies after Neo Tokyo workplace incident

The man who died from carbon monoxide poisoning while working in a Toowoomba CBD store has been remembered as a ‘wonderful man’ who would ‘talk your ear off.’

Dean Rodighiero died while working in the Neo Tokyo store in Monday, January 31, 2022.

A Kingsthorpe family is in mourning after 44-year-old father of three Dean Rodighiero died while working in a CBD store.

Police and paramedics received a call shortly after 6pm on Monday stating a man had collapsed while laying carpet inside the Neo Tokyo store on Margaret Street.

It is understood Mr Rodighiero lost consciousness sometime about 2pm.

Mr Rodighiero has been remembered as a great bloke by friends who took to social media to pay tribute.

“He was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed,” Chereece Ferrari said.

“He would help anyone and talk your ear off at the same time,” Mark Kihlstrom said.

Two police officers were first to arrive at the CBD address and located Mr Rodighiero unconscious inside the building, along with a running generator that was powering electrical gear.

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations manager Stephen Jones said the two officers safely removed the man from the store and immediately started resuscitation.

“Paramedics, including a critical care unit, arrived on scene and continued resuscitation and advanced life support techniques,” he said.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is investigating the circumstances behind Dean Rodighiero’s death at the Neo Tokyo store in Margaret Street, Toowoomba.

The man was transported to Toowoomba Hospital in a critical condition but could not be revived.

Mr Johns said the scene would have been confronting for the two police officers.

“The police did a fantastic job in removing the patient initially into a safe area and we were able to close off the building until firefighters arrived,” he said.

It is understood the man died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning linked to a generator that was running in a poorly ventilated space.

A Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigation is under way that will be assisted by the Queensland Police Service Forensic Crash Unit and scientific officers from the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services.

The owners of Neo Tokyo took to social media to express their sadness.

“We were absolutely devastated upon hearing this news, our thoughts are with the family of the gentleman that passed away in hospital (on Monday),” they said.

Mr Johns said deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning were rare but the gas was dangerous in part because workers may not know they are inhaling it until it is too late. “The gas itself attaches to your haemoglobin and replaces the oxygen inside your body causing a lack of oxygen within your cells,” he said

“It can happen over a short period of time and it can take effect reasonably quickly.”

As a precaution, the two officers who entered the building to rescue the man were transported to the St Vincent’s Private Hospital for a check-up.

“The paramedics worked hard and to their best efforts to provide care to the patient and the police also assisted greatly to provide care,” Mr Johns said.

Originally published as Dean Rodighiero dies after Neo Tokyo workplace incident