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Two asphyxiated while cleaning septic tank
DEATH TRAP: The septic tank at the house in East Tambaram.
TAMBARAM: Two workers died on the spot after inhaling poisonous gas inside the septic tank of a house on Purushothaman Street at Ramakrishnapuram in East Tambaram on Saturday.
According to Chitlapakkam police, K. Shankar (45) and Elumalai (38), hailing from Desur village at Vandavasi in Tiruvannamalai district, were working for a private operator. Shankar was the driver and Elumalai, cleaner. On Saturday morning, they were asked by their employer to clean the septic tank at the house of Babu.
They pumped out liquid waste from the tank using a hosepipe and emptied it into the tanker. Bhaskar then stepped inside the tank to clear the sludge at the bottom. When he did not come out, a concerned Elumalai also went in. Both fainted after inhaling poisonous gas.
Residents called up the fire control room and an emergency rescue team from Tambaram reached the spot. The firemen, equipped with safety kits, pulled out the workers, who were rushed to the Tambaram Taluk Government Hospital (Chromepet GH), where they were pronounced dead on arrival.
R.G. Jayakanthan, Deputy Director (Northern Region), Fire and Rescue Services, said the accident exposed the lack of safety measures. Operators engaged in cleaning septic tanks should use a hosepipe to pump the waste to a tanker. If sludge had to be removed, a large quantity of water should be sprayed into the tank to dilute it. The slab should be kept open for some time to enable the gases to escape. Only then should the cleaning staff enter the tank with oxygen cylinders, full-face chemical-proof gas mask and rubber hand gloves.
He said when septic tanks are not cleaned for long, poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide and methane accumulate.
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