Ahmedabad, Oct 26 Two people — a site in-charge and a welding worker — died after falling into a tank at a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) on Monday, police and civic officials said.
Two others, including the plant supervisor, were hospitalised after inhaling toxic fumes and falling unconscious inside the tank, they said.
The incident occurred when repair and welding work was being carried out at the plant located in the city’s Sola area. A worker engaged in welding inside the 30-MLD STP lost consciousness after inhaling toxic fumes and fell into a deep tank, Sola police inspector KN Bhukan said.
The site in-charge, project manager, and a driver entered the tank in an attempt to rescue the welding worker, but all of them also lost consciousness after inhaling toxic fumes, he said.
However, the AMC said the other three individuals fell into the tank during the rescue attempt. All four were taken to a hospital, where two of them died.
The Ahmedabad civic body said construction work was underway for a 30 MLD STP in Sola, with the project being executed by a contractor, HNB Engineers Pvt Ltd.
“Preliminary investigations into the accident reveal that inspection work was being conducted at the pump house today. During this process, an employee accidentally slipped and fell into the well of the pump house. In an attempt to rescue him, the plant supervisor and two other individuals also fell into the well,” an AMC release said.
“Upon being informed of the incident, the fire department immediately initiated rescue operations. All four individuals were brought out from the sump (well) and transported to Sola Civil Hospital, where site in-charge Manoj and welder Abhishek died,” it said.
Authorities have made adequate arrangements to ensure other affected individuals receive medical treatment. Furthermore, the department concerned will initiate necessary proceedings, the civics body said, adding a notice has been issued to the contractor and a penalty of Rs 50 lakh imposed for negligence in the execution of work.
HNB Engineers Pvt Ltd has submitted an undertaking to pay a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of both deceased individuals, it said.
(PTI News)
