Four workers die after inhaling toxic gas at Dahej chemical plant in Gujarat

SURAT: Four men working at a unit of Gujarat Fluorochemicals Ltd (GFL) at Dahej GIDC in Bharuch district died in the early hours of Sunday due to a gas leak from the plant.

The incident occurred at the CMS-1 plant of GFL around 8 pm on Saturday. The company announced Rs 30 lakh compensation to the family of each victim.

According to the company, the gas leak happened from a pipeline through which the chemical passes, and the four men - a company employee and three contractual workers - in the windward direction were affected.

They were shifted to the unit's health centre and later rushed to a hospital in Bharuch, where three of them died around 3 am, while another succumbed at 6 am on Sunday.

Dahej Marine police started an investigation after registering a case of accidental death.

"We received a call at 3 am on Sunday. Four workers fell unconscious due to a gas leak from the pipe passing through the ground floor of the company's CMS plant.

Company offers employment to ward of deceased employee
After the leak, a mixture of three gases-methyl chloride, CT Chloroform, and HCl vapour-was formed. The workers might have inhaled this gas and fallen unconscious," said police inspector B M Patidar.

Police inspector B M Patidar said the workers were rushed to a private hospital in Bharuch where all four died. The exact reason for the death will be known after reports from the forensic experts and factory inspector are received, he said, adding, "We are investigating if there was any negligence."

The deceased have been identified as Rajesh Kumar Maganadiya (48) from Bharuch, Suchit Prasad (39) and Mahesh Nandlal (25) from Uttar Pradesh, and Mundrika Yadav (29) from Jharkhand. While the first three died at 3 am, Yadav succumbed at 6 am.

Meanwhile, the company also offered employment to the ward of its deceased employees. "Each family will receive an ex gratia of Rs 30 lakh, along with the full settlement of statutory dues, insurance benefits, and pending salaries," said the statement.

It added: "Additionally, we are offering employment to the ward of our deceased employee and sponsoring his education. We are also committed to addressing any need of all affected families. We are in close touch with the families."

Soon after the accident, local police, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), and officials from the directorate of industrial safety and Gujarat Pollution Control Board (GPCB) rushed to the hospital and the unit.

Bharuch SDM Manisha Manani told the media: "We were informed in the morning about the incident. The bodies were sent to the civil hospital in Bharuch for postmortem and an investigation is underway. We have talked to the company and the family members. We will help the families in every way."