A Brazilian man plunged 130 feet to his death down a hole he dug under his kitchen floor.
João Pimenta, 71, was reported to have lost his balance before falling down the massive pit estimated to be equivalent to a 12-story building, the New York Post reports. Neighbors told Globo that Pimenta had become obsessed with the theory that gold was buried underneath the floor of his kitchen, which led to him digging the 130-foot hole.
One neighbor, Arnaldo da Silva, told the outlet that he had tried to warn the 71-year-old about the dangerously deep hole, but said Pimenta was convinced he would find gold if he continued. Da Silva added that the elderly man had discussed potentially using dynamite to blow up a large rock that he believed hindered his search for treasure.
Photos shared by Globo showed the hole with a diameter of 35 inches. Another neighbor told the outlet that Pimenta would pay others to help him dig and added to his promised reward total as they dug deeper, having most recently paid others up to $500 for their assistance.
Police rushed to Pimenta's home after being notified of his fall and pronounced him dead at the scene. The 71-year-old's body was transported to a medical center for an autopsy and reported to have suffered head injuries and broken legs, as well as multiple fractures.
Authorities said it was unclear exactly how long Pimenta had been working on the hole, according to Globo.