Trio in Coimbatore asphyxiated in septic tank
With instances of workers across India losing their lives inside septic tanks increasing alarmingly, three people in Coimbatore on Thursday died of asphyxiation after inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning a sewerage tank. They did not use safety gear while entering the tank, owned by one Subramaniam.
By : migrator
Update: 2019-06-27 19:26 GMT
Coimbatore
The deceased, identified as Rasappan, 38, P Vediappan, 29 and P Vediappan, 26 were all from Kovilmedu. The incident occurred at Keeranatham near Saravanampatty around 9am.
Subramaniam, who is into pig farming, had drained sewerage into a tank on the farm. Police said Rasappan first entered the tank, which is about 20 ft deep.
“Hit by gas, he began shouting for help. Two others, who stood atop the tank immediately went after Rasappan, but they too fell unconscious after being hit by the fumes,” an officer said.
Subramaniam, who grew suspicious after a while, quickly opened the tank and found the trio lying unconscious there. On receiving information, Fire Service personnel from Ganapathy and police from Kovilpalayam station rushed to the spot and retrieved the bodies and sent them to Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) for post-mortem.
Kovilpalayam police have registered a case and further inquiries are on. Police said that it is an offence for the owner to let workers into the tank sans safety gear. The deceased men’s kin demanded action be taken against Subramaniam.
- This is not a one off incident
- On April 14, four migrant labourers from Assam died of asphyxiation, when they entered an effluent tank to remove a block in a dyeing unit in Tirupur district
- In January, two people who entered a manhole to clear a drainage canal died of asphyxiation in Coimbatore.
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