Our Correspondent
Fatehgarh Sahib, November 10
Two labourers were killed and one was injured after they inhaled gas while cleaning a molasses tank at a feed factory in Sirhind today.
Rise in level
As per the preliminary probe, the accident happened due to a rise in the molasses level. The police will probe the matter and take action as per the law. — Sukhbir Singh, DSP
The injured labourer was pulled out from the tank while he was unconsciousness and rushed to the Civil Hospital in Fatehgarh Sahib. His condition is stated to be out of danger.
The deceased have been identified as Pavitra Sadan, a resident of Nepal, and Gora Chhapra, a resident of Uttar Pradesh. As soon as the news spread, the police and officials of the administration led by the SDM, Fatehgarh Sahib, Harpreet Singh, DSP Sukhbir Singh and Dr Jagjit Singh rushed to the spot and started a rescue operation with the help of fire brigade personnel. After two hours of hard work two labourers trapped in the tank were pulled out dead. DSP Sukhbir Singh said as per the preliminary investigation the accident happened due to rise of molasses level. The police would thoroughly probe the matter and take action as per the law, the DSP said. The bodies of both the deceased were kept at the Civil Hospital mortuary, the DSP added.
The SDM said around 10 am, two labourers started cleaning molasses in the underground 10 to 12 feet deep storage tank at Shubh Mohan Feed Factory. They descended into the tank through a ladder lowered from the main hole above the tank, the SDM added.
As labourers entered the tank, they fell unconscious after inhaling gas, the SDM said. When they did not come out Shyam Kumar, another labourer of the factory, also got down into the tank and fell unconscious, the SDM added. Other workers pulled him out the tank and immediately rushed him to the Civil Hospital, the SDM said.
The tank was broken with the help of the JCB machine and bodies of other two labourers were pulled out, the SDM added. Officials of the Industry Department would investigate what type of safety arrangements were in place for workers in the feed factory, the SDM said.
Meanwhile, factory owners were not available for their comments on the incident.
