Lack of proper safety measures blamed for incident
PNS|KAKINADA
In one of the worst industrial accidents, seven workers died due to suffocation when they entered an oil tank for cleaning in the Ambati Subbanna oil factory, located in the G Ragampet area, near Peddapuram, on Thursday.
Factory workers said that the tanker was being de-oiled for the past two days for annual maintenance and seven workers who went down to clean the empty tank died of suffocation due to inhaling some poisonous gases emanating from inside. The death of the seven workers was noticed after some time by the other workers as they did not come out of the tank within the stipulated time.
Since poisonous gases were emanating, the workers broke open the tanker with JCB machines and extricated the deceased.
Peddapuram police rushed to the spot and shifted the bodies to Government General Hospital for post-mortem amidst loud protests from fellow workers and the family members of the deceased.
The deceased workers were identified as Mochangui Krishna, Mochangi Narasinga, Mochangi Sagar, Kunthadu Banjo Babu, Kurra Rama Rao, Kattamuri Jagadeesh, and Prasad. Five of the deceased workers belonged to Paderu and two belonged to Pulimeru village in Peddapuram mandal.
A tense situation prevailed in the factory premises for some time as the workers agitated blaming the management for the ghastly accident, DSP Sunkara Muralimohan monitored the situation in the factory premises and pacified the agitating workers. Top revenue and police officials visited the factory.
As many as 30 workers were working when the incident took place. The factory workers alleged that required safety measures were not taken which led to the death of seven workers. The factory workers said that the factory had started functioning a year ago. Minister Dadishetti Raja enquired with the Collector and SP about the incident.
Jana Sena chief K Pawan Kalyan expressed grief over the death of seven workers in the Ambati Subbanna and co oil factory and he conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families.
In a statement here on Thursday, he urged the government to disburse compensation to the seven deceased families on the lines of compensation extended to the deceased of the LG Polymers accident. The government is not taking action despite accidents taking place in industries often and not reviewing the situation, he flayed. Those who are eking out a livelihood on hand to mouth exist basis die in the accidents, he lamented. Former home minister Nimmakayala Chinarajappa demanded that the government extend financial help to the bereaved families. He alleged that the negligence of the factory management in taking safety measures led to the accident.
