A tragic incident at the Uttam Sugar Mill in Barkatpur, Bijnor, India, has resulted in the deaths of three people during the cleaning of an effluent treatment plant (ETP). The incident occurred on Friday morning when workers were deployed to clean the ETP tank.
The deceased have been identified as Muneshwar Singh, 45, a supervisor from Kabulpur village; Kapil Dev, 40, from Tisotra village; and Sopal Singh, 49, from Lalpur village. Another worker, Prabhat Kumar, 38, was seriously injured while attempting to rescue his colleagues.
Reports indicate that Kapil Dev initially entered the tank for cleaning and collapsed due to the presence of poisonous gas. Saunpal (Sopal Singh) then went in to help him and also fell unconscious. Subsequently, supervisor Muneshwar attempted a rescue but also succumbed to the toxic gas. Prabhat Kumar entered the tank in a final rescue attempt and also collapsed. After struggling, Prabhat Kumar managed to emerge from the tank and raise an alarm. Other workers then retrieved the four men from the tank and rushed them to a private hospital. Kapil Dev, Sopal Singh, and Muneshwar Singh were declared dead upon arrival. Prabhat Kumar is currently receiving treatment and is reported to be in stable condition.
Dr. Birbal Singh stated that preliminary findings suggest the deaths were caused by the inhalation of poisonous gases resulting from a chemical reaction inside the tank. The tank reportedly contained approximately two feet of rainwater. Fire brigade personnel, equipped with safety kits, responded to the scene and assisted in removing the workers from the tank.
Families of the victims arrived at the mill following the incident and have accused the factory management of compromising safety measures, demanding that action be taken. Bijnor SP (city) Sanjeev Vajpayee stated that the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination and that an investigation is underway. Authorities have stated that necessary legal action will be taken once a formal complaint is filed. Locals and the victims' families are urging authorities to provide adequate compensation to the families who lost their lives.
