CUTTACK: The personnel of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and Fire Services had a tough time to rescue a 53-year-old labourer, who was trapped inside the concrete pipe of a pumping station at Cuttack for over seven hours on Thursday.
The rescue staff cut the concrete pipe and brought out labourer Pranakrishna Muduli unhurt. He was soon rushed to SCB Medical College and Hospital for treatment. He is out danger and his condition is stated to be normal.
Sources said Muduli, a resident of Deulasahi, got trapped in the pipe near the State Police Signal Headquarters here at Lower Police Colony while he was cleaning a blockage.
"The mishap occurred when a staff of the pumping station, apparently unaware of the cleaning activity and presence of the worker, turned on the motor of the pump for water supply. Muduli was pulled into the concrete pipe having a width of around 2.5 foot due to sudden gushing of water," said an official.
The force of water was so high that Muduli was pulled nearly 20 foot inside the pipe. Informed ODRAF team and Fire Services personnel rushed to the spot and started the rescue operation.
Collector Sushant Mohapatra and Commissioner of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) Bikash Mohapatra were present there and monitoring the operation till the worker was rescued. Observing delay during the rescue process, oxygen, glucose and spectacles were provided to stranded Muduli.
Fireman Dhiraj Bidhar who became unconscious during the rescue operation has been admitted in the hospital and he is recovering.
DG of Police (Fire Services) Bijay Kumar Sharma has congratulated the personnel of Fire Services, ODRAF and Police for the successful rescue operation. "In an operation that lasting over six hours, concrete pipes and slabs were cut to extricate the victim without injury," he tweeted.
Meanwhile, a probe has been ordered into the incident. The CMC Commissioner said Muduli is not an employee of the pumping station. “A probe will be conducted to ascertain under which circumstances the mishap occurred and who is responsible for it,” Mohapatra said.