BANGALORE: Two contract labourers died after they inhaled toxic gas after falling into a manhole at Saraipalya in Nagawara on Wednesday.
The deceased are Sridhar (20) from Davangere and Pandri (22) from Kudligi taluk in Bellary. According to police sources, soon after the workers opened the manhole, toxic fumes and water gushed out. Sridhar was rendered unconscious and he fell into the manhole. While attempting to rescue him, Pandri too fell. They had been accompanied by their contractor Chandrashekar, who too inhaled the fumes, but was rescued by passersby. He has been hospitalised.
The trio had gone to fix a pipe damaged by heavy rain in the last two days. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had tasked EcoFil, a private company, with laying a pipe between the manhole and a storm water drain nearby.
Hennur police have registered cases of negligence against both BWSSB and EcoFil.
Meanwhile, T Venkata Raju, chief engineer of BWSSB, said compensation will be awarded to kin of both the labourers and precautionary measures will be taken to prevent such incidents.