August had little chance of survival, a Coroner heard yesterday.

Doctors, testifying on the first day the inquest into the deaths of sanitation engineer Mr. Antoine Burgess and mechanic Mr. Melbourne Grant, all agreed that everything possible was done at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital to save the men who were submerged in fecal material for up to 20 minutes on August 13.

Burgess, 22, of Crawl Hill, Hamilton Parish, died nine days after being admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Grant, 46, of Marsh Folly Road, Pembroke, died two days later.

The two men were helping 44-year-old Mr. Charles Grant, who runs Highland Sanitation Services which cleans Robin Hood's cesspit.

Mr. Burgess, who is believed to have entered the Robin Hood pit to work free a stuck hose, fell into the sewage first after fainting from toxic hydrogen sulphide gases coming from the eight-foot pit.

The Grant brothers fell into the pit containing kitchen grease and raw sewage in a tragic sequence of rescue bids. None of the men were wearing protective clothing or gear.

And while all were conscious upon arrival at the hospital, emergency room director Dr. Edward Shultz said both Mr. Burgess and Mr. Melbourne Grant died because of septic complications after being submerged in fecal for an undetermined period.

Describing the pair as "confused'', Dr. Shultz said upon their arrival at the emergency department they were covered by "thick, tenacious, black fecal material'', coughing up and vomiting the substance, and complained of chest pains.

Both men were cleaned up, examined, and transferred to the Intensive Care Unit where they were monitored and given antibiotics.

But their conditions continued to deteriorate, attending physician Dr. Marion Watlington said, adding both men's chance of survival was less than 50 percent.

Hospital consultant pathologist Dr. John Winwick, who produced autopsy reports on both men, said their lungs were intensely congested and weighed almost three times the normal weight.

He concluded that death was due to acute adult respiratory distress syndrome associated with toxic asphyxia, following immersion in toxic waste.

Dr. Winnick said while he did not know of any similar accidents in his four years in Bermuda, "this kind of accident occurs all the world over''.

"They are dangerous,'' he said, "far more dangerous than perhaps people realise.'' Dr. Shultz said their deaths were "unnecessary and the result from the victims entry into the cesspit without proper protective gear''.

Noting the dangerously high concentration of hydrogen sulphide gas the men were believed to be exposed to, he said he would have recommended that the men use a full-bodied protective suit and oxygen masks.

Mr. Charles Grant, who was treated in a hospital general ward before his release on August 24, is expected to take the stand when the inquest continues tomorrow before Coroner the Wor. John Judge and Coroner's officer Sgt. Rex Osborne.

Lawyer Mrs. Charles-Etta Simmons is representing the widow and family of Mr.

Melbourne Grant, Mr. Arthur Hodgson is representing Mr. Charles Grant, and Mr.

Burgess' family is unrepresented.