I have a similar story to Buggi. In 1980 I was working for a builder who had the maintenance contract for a housing association and we got called out to an estate that had three blocks of flats with sewage backing up into the sinks and baths etc. The 3 buildings waste pipes all ran into one 6 inch pipe and our job was to snake said pipe. My job, as the stupid apprentice, was to stand at the top of the manhole and pass the rods down to "Miserable Les", the plumber. After a couple of minutes he located the blockage and said " Right now, stand back coz when this thing goes it;s gonna go fast!" He shifted the blockage and flew up the ladder, banged his head on the edge of the manhole, fell off on to his arse, stood up and got a fireman's hose like full force face full of undiluted sewage, as he tried to climb the ladder he fell off again. He got out on the third attempt. I've never laughed or puked so much in all my life.