Five men found unconscious in prominent Lutyens’ Delhi hotel

NEW DELHI: Five men were injured after they inhaled toxic gases while they had gone to check the sewage plant of a prominent hotel in Lutyens’ Delhi.

Police claimed that they have registered a case and the victims are receiving treatment in three different hospitals.

According to the police, the incident came to light at around 11.30 am, when five persons got trapped in the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) of Taj Vivanta hotel where poisonous methane and hydrocarbon gases were leaking.

A PCR call was made and the police team along with Delhi Fire Services (DFS) team reached the spot.

Atul Garg, Chief Fire officer, stated that DFS sent four water tenders and one water bowser.

Around 12.20 pm, the operation was stopped and the firefighters rescued five persons from the basement and shifted them to hospital for treatment.

Sources claimed that one of them had gone inside the pump house, which is connected to sewage treatment plant.

They might have become unconscious after inhaling some harmful gases.

The other persons went inside to rescue but they also got trapped.

Police claimed that the victims were identified as Nityanand (51), a plumbing staff of Hotel Taj Vivanta.

Ravindra (40) worked as a contractual maintenance staff in Sewer Treatment Plant (STP) of Eco Pollutech Engineers company which runs this plant.

Vikram (26), a contractual security guard of Taj Vivanta hotel, went to rescue them. These three injured persons are admitted to Moolchand Hospital and kept in ICU. At present, they are critical.

“Kamdev Patra (58) is a contractual maintenance staff and employee of Eco Pollutech Engineers. He was admitted to LNJP and was in ICU. He was later shifted to BLK hospital. Gaurav Sukheja (34) is the Deputy Chief Engineer of Taj Vivanta who also went to see the incident and fell unconscious. He was taken to RML hospital. He was kept in ICU and later shifted to BLK hospital,” police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Madhur Verma claimed that an FIR under section 308 IPC has been registered against persons and officials of Eco Pollutech Engineers and Hotel Taj Vivanta. A statement released by the hotel claimed that they immediately responded to the incident by activating approved safety protocols to alert the authorities and provide full medical assistance to those affected. One of the victims was Ravinder Kanojia (53), who was admitted at Moolchand hospital. According to her daughter Shilpa, his condition is critical.