Two sanitation workers and a local suffocate to death cleaning tank in Ghaziabad

Three men including two sanitation workers were suffocated to death inside a sewer tank in Ghaziabad on Sunday. The tank was so full of poisonous gases and fumes that it took the rescue team three hours to fish out the bodies.

According to the police, the deceased have been identified as Raushan Lal and Mahesh, sanitation workers while police is still working to ascertain the identity of the third person. Police said that all the three deceased aged between 25 to 40 years.

"The incident took place at around 9:30 am while the workers were cleaning the tank of a pumping station at sewer treatment plant operated by Ghaziabad Jal Nigam in Loni area. The contractual workers were assigned job to clean the sewer tank. While cleaning one of the workers slipped into the tank and after he failed to come out of the tank and didn't respond for more than 15 minutes," said a senior police officer.

In order to save him, another worker jumped into the tank. After the second worker who did not turn out for 20 minutes, then a local person also jumped into the tank in order to rescue them. However, he also didn't return.

The locals and other workers alerted police when the three stopped responding after several calls were made to them. The trio died after suffocating due to the presence of poisonous gases and toxic fumes, said police officials.

"As the information was conveyed a police team was rushed to the spot. The bodies of all the three persons were rescued from the tank with the help of cranes and it took the rescue team three hours to get their bodies out. They were rushed to district hospital where doctors declared them dead after examination. We are investigating the matter as to who is to be blamed for this tragic incident" said Durgesh Kumar Singh, circle officer, Loni.

Following the incident, the district magistrate has ordered inquiry into the matter and an FIR against the company which was given the contract to clean the sewage has been registered under section 304A (death due to negligence) of the Indian Penal code.

SLIPPED

While cleaning the tank at Jal Nigam Loni area one of the workers slipped in the sewer tank. In order to save him another worker jumped into the tank. As they did not respond a local too jumped to save them.