Two workers, stuck in 40-ft deep pit in Noida Sector 99, die of asphyxiation

Two construction workers — who were laying the foundation of a mobile tower in Noida Sector 99 — got stuck in the pit and died of asphyxiation on Thursday evening. The workers were digging a 40-foot deep pit with a radius of one foot for the installation of a mobile tower in the green belt area near Supreme Tower, police said.

A team of Sector 39 police and firefighters rushed to the spot and pulled out their bodies from the pit. However, the two men — identified as 22-year-old Gautam from Khagadia in Bihar and 20-year-old Ajay Pal from Lakhimpur Kheri — did not survive, police said, adding that they were living at a makeshift hut near the project site.

Kaustubh, Circle Officer, Noida 1, said the incident took place at 4.30 pm. Maintaining that the project was undertaken by a private contractor, he said, “There were two supervisors – Dulichand and Ashok Kumar at the site. They had engaged Gautam and Ajaypal for the digging works without safety measures. They went down the pit and got stuck, and died of suffocation.”

Kamal, Gautam’s brother, said the two had left some equipment behind at the bottom of the borewell while digging. “Gautam climbed down with the help of a rope to get the equipment. But, due to lack of oxygen, he got stuck at the bottom and fainted,” he said.

Gautam’s father Fucho Sahni, who was also at the site, raised an alarm. “Ajay Pal, another worker, immediately climbed down to rescue Gautam. But he, too, lost consciousness and could not come out,” said Kamal. The workers then informed the police and the fire department. The rescue team pulled out the two workers and rushed them to the district hospital. “The doctors examined them and found they had no pulse. They were declared brought dead,” Kaustubh said.

Police said they could not spot any safety gear at the spot. Prashant Kapil, station house officer of Sector 39 police station, said Ajay Pal’s cousin Nachatrapal has filed a complaint in this regard. “We have registered a case under Section 304-A (death due to negligence) against Ashok and Dulichand. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and reports are awaited,” he said.

While the incident took place in a green belt, Noida authority officials said they have no information about the incident.

First Published: May 31, 2019 13:59 IST