RAMANATHAPURAM: A 24-year-old worker from Odisha died after allegedly inhaling a poisonous gas while cleaning an effluent storage tank at a private fish oil production company at Machur near Thondi on Sunday. Two other workers developed breathing difficulties after inhaling the gas and are being treated at the Intensive Critical Care Unit in Ramanathapuram Medical College Hospital. The deceased was identified as S Nabin Oram.
The private company, owned by a Ramanathapuram resident, manufactures oil and fish powder from fish waste and has been functioning for over a decade, said sources. According to officials, of the 80 employees employed by the company, 59 hail from Odisha, 14 from Tamil Nadu and seven from Karnataka. “After the trio fell unconscious while cleaning the tank apparently due to the poisonous gases emanating from it, they were rushed to Thondi Primary Health Centre,” said Tiruvadanai tahsildar R Senthilvel Murugan, who conducted a preliminary inquiry at the spot. Police officials also held inquiries at the industrial unit.
The workers assigned to clean the tank were Nabin Oram, K Anil Majith (24) and K Jasman Kuthur (20), all natives of Odisha. From the primary health centre, the trio was shifted to Ramanathapuram Medical College Hospital. Oram died en route, while the condition of Majith and Kuthur is critical.
A preliminary report will be submitted to the Ramanathapuram Revenue Divisional Officer Sheikh Mansoor, while the department of industrial safety will conduct a probe on Monday. Operations at the company were immediately stopped, and a decision on sealing the unit will be taken based on the detailed probe report, sources added.
Further, based on a complaint by Village Administrative Officer P Radha, police filed a case against five persons — managing director/manager of the company Shahul Hameed (55), operator manager Mohammed Biswak (36), in-charge staff Nakshatra Mari (26), Bikram Oram (30) and Maheswaran (30).