Hisashi Ouchi died in the most agonizing and gradual way imaginable following the horrific incident at a nuclear power plant in Japan in 1999.
As a nuclear engineer, Hisashi Ouchi was assisting a colleague in pouring several liters of uranium into a massive metal container. Little did he know that he was about to face unimaginable suffering, according to the Daily Star.
Hisashi Ouchi is the most radioactive person in the world.
Just seconds later, an explosion accompanied by bluish flashes engulfed the room at the Tokaimura nuclear power plant when the radioactive mixture reached its “critical point,” releasing neutron and gamma radiation.
Ouchi, 35, suffered the most severe radiation exposure in the incident. In the room were his colleagues Masato Shinohara and Yutaka Yokokawa, who was seated just 4 meters away.
Three men were taken to the hospital.
None of the three individuals had the expertise to handle such a hazardous mixture. They had poured in 16 kg of uranium, while the maximum permissible amount was only 2.4 kg.
What occurred at 10:35 a.m. on September 28, 1999, was the worst nuclear incident in Japan in many years, marking the beginning of Ouchi’s 83-day “living hell.”
Ouchi received the highest radiation exposure among the three men in the room.
Immediately after the explosion, Ouchi fell into a state of semi-consciousness, vomiting uncontrollably, and suffered severe burns.
Ouchi was believed to have absorbed up to 17 Sieverts of radiation, the highest dose ever recorded for a living person, while a dose of 8 Sieverts is enough to be fatal.
Despite the extreme levels of radiation exposure, Ouchi did not die instantly. When he arrived at the University of Tokyo Hospital, he had nearly lost all his skin and white blood cells. The man was in multi-organ failure with a destroyed immune system.
Tokaimura Nuclear Power Plant in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan.
Japan’s leading medical team and experts from around the world conducted skin grafts, transfused blood, and other fluids to keep Ouchi alive. He received treatment in a special radiation therapy room.
At that time, each day, 20 liters of fluids “oozed from the victim’s body,” according to the Daily Star.
Local media reported that Ouchi also bled from his eyes, while his wife described it as “crying blood.” Ouchi’s radiation exposure caused severe DNA damage.
Doctors injected stem cells from his sister into Ouchi’s body in hopes that he could recover.
It is unimaginable the relentless pain Ouchi endured after 7 days in the hospital. Despite continuous administration of painkillers and being placed in a coma, Ouchi would scream in agony whenever he regained consciousness.
“I can’t take it anymore,” Ouchi said after 7 days of treatment. He felt hopeless and just wanted to go home.
On the 59th day, Ouchi’s heart stopped beating three times within 49 minutes. At the family’s request, doctors continued resuscitation efforts. The man suffered increasing brain and kidney damage.
In his final days, Ouchi was almost completely dependent on life support machines. He breathed his last after 83 days, on September 21, 1999. The cause of death was multiple organ failure due to radiation exposure.
Of the other two individuals, Masato Shinohara, 40, survived until April 27, 2000, before passing away 7 months after radiation exposure led to lung and kidney damage.
The senior of the three, Yutaka Yokokawa, 54, was fortunate to suffer only mild radiation exposure and was discharged after 3 months.
