As many as seven workers died due to suffocation while cleaning an oil tank in a factory in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, said a police official on Thursday.
Workers were hospitalised after inhaling gas while cleaning tankers of an edible oil manufacturing company in Ragampeta village, he added.
The incident occurred in the premises of Ambati Subbanna oil factory at G. Ragampeta in Peddapuram mandal of the Kakinada district.
The victims had entered a 24-feet deep oil tanker one by one to clean it. Five of the deceased belonged to Paderu in Alluri Sitaramaraju district while two others were from Pulimeru village of the same mandal.
The deceased were identified as Vechangi Krishna, vechangi Narasimham, Vechangi Sagar, Korathadu Banji Babu, Karri Rama Rao, Prasad and Kattamuri Jagadeesh. Police rushed to the spot and took up the investigation.
The incident sent shock waves in the village. The families of the deceased alleged that the factory management did not take necessary precautions which led to the tragedy.
District Superintendent of Police M. Ravindranath Babu and collector Kritika Shukla also rushed to the spot. The SP said criminal action would be taken against the management of the oil factory. The collector assured the families of the deceased that she would recommend to the government for compensation.
Local MLA and former home minister Chinnarajappa also visited the oil factory. He alleged that inexperienced workers were hired for cleaning the tanker.
(With IANS input)
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