Kakinada: 7 Workers Die Of Suffocation While Cleaning Gas Tank

KAKINADA: Seven workers died due to suffocation while they were cleaning a large gas tank in an oil factory located at G Ragampeta in Peddadapuram mandal in the district on Thursday morning.

Poisonous gasses started emanating from the tank and seven workers who inhaled the gas died of suffocation while one worker managed to escape from the place. As per initial reports, five of the deceased were from Paderu and the other two were from Pulimeru of Peddapuram mandal. The workers were identified as  Vechangi Krishna, Vechangi Narasimham, Vechangi Sagar, Korathadu Banji Babu, Karri Rama Rao, Prasad and Kattamuri Jagadeesh.

They were cleaning the slegde in the gas tank number 5 in the Ambati Subbanna oil factory which had commenced operations a year ago. One person who had gone to clean the tank at around 7 am in the morning and started shouting and hitting the wall of the tank after he started suffocating. The other workers rushed inside to save him and they started suffocating and making noises in the tank to attract the attention of those outside. While one of them managed to escape and informed the management, who immediately started rescue operations to save the workers. However, they all succumbed. It is reported that they had to cut open the shutter at the bottom part of the tank which is around 24 feet deep, to remove the bodies.

The workers joined the factory around 10 days ago. The oil factory produces the popular AS Brand gingelly oil and the head office is located in Samarlakota.

Police rushed to the spot and took up the investigation. District Superintendent of Police M Ravindranath Babu and Collector Kritika Shukla also rushed to the spot. The SP said criminal action would be taken against the management of the oil factory. The bodies were sent to the Government Hospital for post-mortem.

Also Watch: Kakinada Oil Factory Accident Report

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