3 minors among 7 killed in gas leak at UP factory
TRAGEDY Magisterial probe has been ordered into the case; CM announces ~4L ex-gratia
LUCKNOW: Seven people, including three children, were killed in their sleep at a carpet manufacturing factory following a poisonous gas leak from a neighbouring chemical factory at Biswan in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district on Thursday, officials said and added the tragedy forced the evacuation of residents from a nearby village.
Police superintendent L R Kumar said they had a tough time entering the unit due to the pungent smell when they rushed to the scene after being informed about the leak. “...we managed to recover seven bodies including that of three children,” said Kumar. He added a murder case will be registered soon.
District magistrate Akhilesh Tiwari said there is a chemical factory named Balaji Rasayan Udhyog near the carpet unit. “Preliminary probe revealed that large containers of chemicals were cleaned in a small canal, which flows along with the carpet factory...” He added poisonous chemicals in the canal probably caused the deaths.
The state pollution control department has picked up samples of the chemicals and sent them to a laboratory.
According to an employee of the chemical factory, it was registered with the sales tax department in August last year. There were hydrochloride and sodium peroxide in the containers cleaned in the canal on Wednesday, he added. When the water was released after cleaning the containers, it flowed down to the canal.
Villagers said a pungent smell woke them up early in the morning. “It seems some of them tried to run but could not,” said a local resident Imran Mohammad.
A magisterial probe has been ordered into the incident, the district magistrate said.
Deputy commissioner (industries) Ashish Gupta said this chemical unit is registered in the name of Sukesh Gupta.
Bisvan’s sub-divisional magistrate, Suresh Kumar, said, “The affected area has been evacuated.” He added the factory owner was on the run.
A doctor at Sitapur’s district hospital, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the cause of the deaths was asphyxia (suffocation).
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh’s additional chief secretary (home), Awanish Awasthi, said the seven include five from a family. He identified them as Atiq, 45, his wife, Saira, 42 and children Ayesha, 12, Afroz, 8 and Faisal, 2. “Besides them two others, Motu, 75 and Pahalwan, 70, also died,” said Awasthi. He added all of them were from Kanpur.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath offered condolences to the families of the seven and said he has directed officials to provide all possible help to the affected people and initiate strict action against the guilty.
He announced an ex-gratia of ~ 4 lakh each to the families of those who died in the mishap, a statement from the chief minister’s office said. It added Adityanath has instructed the NDRF and the State Disaster Response Force teams to join the relief and rescue operations. “A detailed investigation will be conducted and the people responsible for it [the tragedy] will face consequences. Necessary legal action will be taken,” the statement added.