3 Laborers Die in Gujarat Factory Gas Leak During Tank Cleanup

Gujarat's industrial heartland was struck by sorrow as a gas leak during underground tank maintenance killed three workers on Monday. The mishap occurred at Mafatlal Gujarat Industries' ETP plant in Kalol's Saij GIDC, Gandhinagar, where a team of four men ventured into a sludge-filled tank for routine cleaning. Tragedy struck swiftly: the first worker inhaled toxic gases, suffocating within minutes. His colleagues rushed to save him, only to suffer the same fate. Amit Pritam Parihar from Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh natives Amar Kumar Srivastava and Shivanath Ramshankar Dubey perished, while rescuer Anil Bhagwan Lodhi battles severe injuries in intensive care. Police sources indicate the tank harbored accumulated poisonous vapors from industrial waste, undetected before entry. No proper ventilation or breathing apparatus was reportedly in use, raising serious questions about compliance with occupational safety standards. The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team has secured evidence from the scene, and autopsies will provide crucial insights. This is not an isolated event. Recalling a parallel accident in Ahmedabad's Dani Limbda area last October, where three cleaners died in a septic tank due to identical gas exposure. Labor unions are outraged, urging immediate shutdown of non-compliant facilities and comprehensive safety audits across Gujarat's GIDC zones. As grieving families mourn, the incident underscores the perilous conditions faced by migrant workers in unventilated, hazardous environments. Officials promise swift action, but for the bereaved, no measure can undo the irreplaceable loss.