Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: An ammonia gas leakage at fish meal plant Quality Foods in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate killed a worker Kishan Kumar (23) native of Uttar Pradesh and resident of Cuncolim IDC who was sleeping in next door in Tap Tools factory. Four workers are being treated in hospital of which one is in a serious condition.
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Sources informed that on Friday morning, the ammonia tank at the rear of Quality Foods started leaking. Nobody from the factory noticed this leakage till workers from neighbouring factory Tap Tools raised a loud alarm. Those workers of Tap Tools Factory which manufacturers tools and equipment were sleeping in a room at factory premises after their night duty. They were suddenly woken up as they started feeling suffocated due to ammonia gas. Five of them fell unconscious in this tragic incident. Kishan Kumar lost his life while another is struggling for life in a government Hospital. Three workers are admitted to a private Hospital.
Manager of Tap Tools informed media that they came to know about the incident only after their security personnel called them. He confirmed the death of one worker.
The Cuncolim police rushed to the spot and evacuated workers from nearby by factories. Ironically, workers from Quality Foods escaped due to the alacrity shown by other workers of Tap Tools.
The Quality Foods factory technicians succeeded in controlling the leakage which brought the situation in control. Fire and Emergency Services personal reached the spot with fire tender but Officers of Quality foods tried to stop them from entering the factory premises. Fire personal told media that officers from Quality foods told them that nothing is serious and they do not need any help. Fire personal forcibly entered the factory premises and took the stock of the situation.
Later, the Cuncolim Police did the panchanama and sent the body for post-mortem. No offence has been registered against anybody. The police has registered the death as unnatural death.
When reporters asked if the police had booked any one for negligence, the officer said that the Quality Foods has six partners. The decision to register an offence will be taken “after discussions”.
Meanwhile this is not the first incident at Cuncolim Industrial estate. In the past, many workers has lost their lives but no one has been punished for negligence.
The non adherence to basic safety standards has been put forth to the authorities in the past too at the Cuncolim.
Meanwhile, the post-mortem report of Kishan Kumar has been conducted but the cause of death has been “reserved”.
