SURAT: Four people including the factory owner's son died after inhaling noxious fumes while opening barrels filled with chemicals in a storage facility located in Mota Borsara village of Mangrol taluka in Surat district on Wednesday.
The incident occurred in Nilam Industries which is owned by Mohammad Sajid Patel. Patel's son Amin also died in the incident.
Five people were present when the barrels were being opened in the GIDC. As soon as the barrels were opened, poisonous vapour started emanating. All of them fainted immediately and they were rushed to a private hospital in Kim town. Out of five, four people identified as Imtiyaz Patel (45), Amin Patel (22), Varun Vasava (22), and Ragha Ram (54) died while one is under treatment.
Kosamba police inspector JA Barot told TOI: "We have started proceedings to book those responsible for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. We have detained Mohammad Sajid Patel who owns this unit. Prima facie, it looks like the four died due to inhalation of the poisonous gas."
Senior Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) officer, Dr. Jignasha Oza, told TOI: "Our team is investigating the incident and trying to ascertain the chemical in the barrel. As there is no labelling on barrels, we will know the details only after the laboratory report. We have taken the samples."
The GPCB team suspects that a vaporized cloud may have formed after the barrels were opened. This thick cloud may have proved lethal.
Officials are checking if the unit has a valid license to deal with such chemicals.
Kosamba police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Patel and arrested him.
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