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Surat: Four workers, including a supervisor, died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a septic tank at a jewellery manufacturing unit in Surat on Sunday morning, police said.
The incident occurred in the Ashwini Kumar area of the city, where the septic tank collects waste generated during the jewellery cleaning process. According to officials, the victims entered the tank as part of routine maintenance work and collapsed after being exposed to poisonous gases.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-1) Alok Kumar said the facility's septic tank is cleaned approximately every two months. On Sunday morning, a supervisor and three labourers entered the tank for maintenance work but were overcome by toxic fumes.
While asphyxiation is believed to be the primary cause of death, authorities said the exact cause will be determined after postmortem examinations.
Police said preliminary investigations suggest that mandatory safety protocols may not have been followed. Officials are examining whether negligence on the part of the factory management or workers contributed to the tragedy.
"We are investigating whose negligence led to the incident, as initial findings indicate that safety measures were not followed. A detailed inquiry is underway," DCP Alok Kumar said.
According to police, the supervisor reportedly alerted the fire department before entering the tank. Initial findings also indicate that the workers were not equipped with any protective safety gear.
Following the incident, fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and carried out a rescue operation. All four workers were pulled out of the tank and taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the incident and are awaiting the postmortem reports.
