Palghar, May 4: Two labourers died of suffocation after they fell into a pit at a ready-mix concrete (RMC) plant on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, police said on Sunday.
A worker was also injured in the incident that took place at the plant in the Sasupada area on Friday evening, an official said.
He said the workers, Vishwajeet Harishchandra Rajbhar (20) and Rajan Surendra Rajbhar (24), slipped and fell into a 30-foot-deep pit, which contained some residual chemical or concrete material, and they started suffocating.
On hearing their cries for help, another worker, Salman Khan, entered the pit to rescue the duo but began suffocating, the official said, adding that all three were eventually pulled out using a Hydra crane.
He said Vishwajeet and Rajan were found unconscious and were rushed to a local hospital, where doctors declared them dead, and Khan, who suffered severe respiratory distress, is currently being treated at a hospital in Mira Road.
The official said a preliminary investigation has been initiated into possible negligence by the plant owner or management regarding safety measures and protocols.
“We are verifying whether the plant followed standard safety guidelines and whether the pit was secured or ventilated,” he said, adding that an accidental death report (ADR) was registered.(PTI)
