Noida: 2 killed after inhaling toxic gases in Sector 26

Police said it would decide whether to file an FIR based on findings of the autopsy, as the families of the victims have not filed any complaint so far

Noida: Two sanitation workers died allegedly after inhaling toxic gases while working in a sewage shaft at a Noida building, police said on Saturday.

A resident of Sector 26 had hired the two sanitation workers to clean the sewage shaft at his house around 7pm but during the cleaning process, both the workers lost consciousness. (HT Photo)

The incident occurred on Friday evening in A block of Sector 26. The workers, identified as Nooni Mandal, 36 and Tapan Mandal, 40, hailed from Malda district in West Bengal but lived in the slums of Sector 9.

Sumit Chawla, a resident of Sector 26, had hired the two people to clean the sewage shaft at his house around 7pm. During the cleaning process, both the workers lost consciousness suspectedly after inhaling poisonous fumes, said deputy commissioner of police (Noida) Vidyasagar Mishra.

“Around 10.30pm, the resident informed the police and an ambulance and fire brigade were sent to the spot. The workers were taken out of the shaft and rushed to a hospital where authorities declared them dead on arrival,” the officer said.

Officials at Kailash Hospital in Sector 27, where the workers were taken to, said the bodies arrived at 11.15pm. Police have initiated a probe into the incident.

Govind Sharma, president of Sector 26 Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) said that as per norms, residents are advised not to carry out any construction or cleaning at their homes after sunset.

Additional DCP (Noida) Manish Mishra said they were probing the incident and would decide whether to file an FIR on the basis of findings of the autopsy. The families of the victims have not filed any police complaint so far, he added.