Three persons died and five suffered breathing problems after inhaling poisonous gas while carrying out maintenance work at Steel Authority of India Limited’s Durgapur plant on Friday.

Authorities at The Mission Hospital said seven persons were brought in a critical condition while one worker died at the Durgapur Steel Plant Hospital in the afternoon.
“Two of the seven persons died this evening. Five others are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable,” said Partha Pal, medical superintendent of The Mission Hospital.

Those who died at The Mission Hospital were identified as Santosh Chowhan, 37 and Sajan Chowhan, 48. Sintu Yadav, 24, passed away at the DSP Hospital.

However, the steel plant management said eight persons fell ill while working at the plant. “All were admitted to a private hospital after giving primary treatment at our hospital. We have no report of any casualty yet. We have initiated a probe into the incident,” said Asraful Hossain Majumder, spokesperson for the steel plant.

Sources said DSP authorities were carrying out maintenance work at the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) for the past three days. “Eight contractual workers were engaged in the job this (Friday) morning. They were working at the converter refractory unit of the BOF,” said a trade union leader at the plant.

Suddenly, poisonous gas started leaking from a pipeline through which carbon monoxide is supplied to the coke oven unit of the plant. “The workers inhaled the gas and fell ill. They were rushed to the steel plant hospital initially and seven of them were later shifted to a private hospital after their conditions deteriorated,” said a plant official.

Trade union leaders, however, accused the plant management of negligence. “Contractual workers are not provided proper safety gadgets. They are virtually forced to work under hazardous conditions,” said Sheikh Sahabuddin, leader of Indian National Trinamul Trade Union Congress-affiliated DSP Contractor Workers’ Union.