Chennai/Bhubaneswar: A tragic accident at an ethanol manufacturing unit near Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur district claimed the life of a migrant worker from Odisha and left four others in critical condition Tuesday after they were exposed to toxic gas inside a water tank, officials said.
The incident took place at a private factory located in Thervoy Kandigai village, where a group of workers had been assigned to clean a storage tank as part of routine maintenance work.
According to initial reports, the workers entered the confined space “without adequate protection”, leading to the inhalation of hazardous fumes.
One of the workers, identified as Dhananjay Mali, a native of Odisha, reportedly collapsed inside the tank after being overcome by the toxic gas.
In a desperate attempt to rescue him, four of his co-workers entered the tank one after the other, but they too lost consciousness due to the suffocating fumes.
Emergency services were alerted immediately, following which personnel from the Fire and Rescue Services department rushed to the spot equipped with safety gear.
The rescue team managed to pull all five workers out of the tank after a coordinated effort under challenging conditions.
However, Mali was declared dead at the scene, with officials suspecting prolonged exposure to toxic gases as the cause of death.
The four other workers, who were also critically affected, were rushed to the Tiruvallur Government Hospital. Hospital authorities confirmed that all four are undergoing intensive treatment and remain in a critical condition.
Preliminary inquiries suggest that the accident may have been caused by the accumulation of toxic gases inside the tank, possibly due to fermentation residues or inadequate ventilation.
Authorities are also examining whether proper safety protocols, including the use of protective gear and gas detection measures, were followed before allowing workers to enter the confined space.
Officials from the Labour Department and local police have initiated an investigation into the incident. Further action will be taken based on the findings, including potential negligence or violations of industrial safety norms. The incident has once again raised serious concerns over workplace safety standards in industrial units, particularly involving hazardous environments and migrant labourers.
IANS
