In the Northern Marianas, three men died on Friday while working in a 24-foot deep well on Saipan.
The men were contracted by the CNMI's utilities company.
Our correspondent said toxic gas from the well was suspected to be the cause of the multiple deaths.
Witnesses said the first worker descended to the well but later collapsed. The two other workers followed him but both also collapsed.
The group were working for a private company contracted by the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation tasked to commission the well for rehabilitation.