Firemen’s kin blame civic body for deaths; to get jobs
KALYAN: The Kalyan-dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) commissioner on Friday assured compensation and jobs to the families of two firemen, Anant Shelar, 48, and Pramod Waghchoure,44,who died on duty while trying to rescue three people from a well. The families blamed the civic body for the firemen’s deaths owing to no safety gear.
On Thursday, five people drowned in a private well in Chakki Naka, Kalyan (East). The other three victims were a father and son who also jumped into the well on their property to rescue a sanitation worker. The worker had gone in to clean the well. Fire officials said they likely suffocated as the well was near a drain, and could have been full of toxic fumes from polluted water.
“Both the firemen died on duty and hence they will get proper compensation and a family member will be given a job,” said Govind Bodke, KDMC commissioner.
Meanwhile, KDMC health officer Raju Lavangare said, “As of now, the cause of death is assumed as inhalation of toxic gas. We have sent a sample to the lab for analysis. We cannot say what gas was in the water until the report is out.”
The civic chief has asked for a detailed inquiry from the Thane collector.
“What is the difference between a fireman and a common person? They would have lived if they were provided with safety belts and masks,” said Jagdeep Waghchoure, 50, the elder brother of Pramod.
“I assumed he was provided all safety equipment during rescue missions,” said the wife of Shelar, who demanded action against civic authorities for negligence.
Sub-regional officer of MPCB, Kalyan, Amar Durgule, said, “We visited the site on Friday and collected liquid samples. Our team checked nearby factories to see if any effluents were discharged into the drain. We did not find anything of that kind.”
“I observed that a sewage line flows from a residential area and I think gases like methane, carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulphide might have formed inside the well when the water from the drain accumulated in it. These gases are dangerous if inhaled,” he added.
A day after the incident, local residents were found wearing masks owing to fear of inhaling toxic fumes. The Kolsewadi police, which is investigating the case, have registered an accidental death report.