MARGAO
An ammonia gas leakage at Quality Foods fish processing unit in the Cuncolim Industrial Estate in the wee hours of Friday left one labourer working in an adjoining Tap Tool factory dead and some others injured.
While a 22-year-old worker from Uttar Pradesh, Kishan Kumar, working in Tap Tool factory died in the incident, around 2-4 others have been admitted to the Hospicio hospital for treatment.
Sources said the deceased and the injured workers employed in the adjoining tool manufacturing unit were sleeping in the temporary accommodation inside the boundary when the ammonia gas leakage took place in Quality Foods unit.
Officials of the Factories and Boilers have inspected the site and have reportedly told the management to shut down the unit for the moment.
The Margao Fire brigade rushed to Cuncolim Industrial Estate no sooner the office received an emergency call at 2.59 am on Friday.
Fire Officer Shailesh Gawde informed that when the Margao fire team reached Quality Foods around 15 minutes later, the ammonia gas leakage was already plugged by the staff employed in the unit.
He pointed out that the firemen later conducted an inspection of the Quality Foods premises, including the ammonia gas supply line and found everything in order. “We conducted an inspection of the plant and we did not notice any further leakage,” he said.
On the number of casualties reported in the incident, Fire Officer Gawde informed that there were no casualties in Quality Foods. “We did not come across any incident in Quality Foods because of the Ammonia gas leakage. It was only later we realized that one worker from an adjoining industrial tool making unit died and some others injured,” he said.
Cuncolim Police station in-charge, PI Therron D’Costa informed that the worker from Uttar Pradesh had succumbed to the gas leakage.
The police is believed to have been informed about the incident only after dawn at around 6 am. “After the police received the information, we went to the Unit only to be informed that some workers from the adjoining tool manufacturing unit were injured in the incident. As of now, one worker from Uttar Pradesh has been injured while two others are recuperating at Hospicio. Their condition is slated stable,” PI Therron said.
Asked to shed light on the ownership of Quality Foods, PI Therron said the unit is jointly owned by a group of partners. “The police is investigating the case. An offense will be registered after completing the probe,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Cuncolim police on late Friday evening registered an offense against the management of Quality Foods for death due to negligence.
The police has registered an offense under section 304-A and section 377 of the IPC against the management of Quality Foods.
Cuncolim PI Therron D’Costa informed that the police will book the persons, who constitute the management of Quality Foods.
