Three workers die while cleaning chemical tank

Two others rescued as iron wall falls on labourers

KARACHI: Three young labourers died while two others were rescued in a chemical tank accident at Indigo Textile Mills in Bin Qasim Town late Monday night.

Five workers were cleaning an empty tank at the factory when suddenly a portion of an iron wall fell on them, said Bin Qasim police officer Shakir Nawaz.

It was a 25 to 30-feet-deep tank bifurcated with an iron sheet, said Nawaz, adding that one side of it was empty while the other was filled with a chemical.

The rescuers, after an intense struggle, fetched two workers in an unconscious state out of the tank while three others had already died, he added.

The deceased workers have been identified as Muhammad Ejaz, 22, Sheikh Raheel, 20, and Muhammad Amir, 24, while the injured have been identified as Hussain and Saifur Rehman.

According to the police, Ejaz and Raheel were residents of Madina Colony, Khokhrapar, while Amir lived in Landhi. The details of the rescued two had yet to be obtained by the police till the filing of this story.

Reacting to the casualties, National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) deputy general secretary Nasir Mansoor said that such industrial accidents have become common due to the negligence of employers and government watchdogs. "Despite witnessing the Ali Enterprises [Baldia factory fire] catastrophe, we have not learnt any lessons that small shortcomings can lead to disasters," said Mansoor, adding that the situation at Indigo was no different than at the ill-fated factory.

The NTUF leader said that the textile mill was the biggest supplier to domestic and international brands. He said that having worked with these top brands, the company was supposed to follow certain rules as per the existing agreements and accords towards workers' safety and welfare.

The Express Tribune tried to reach an Indigo representative through phone at their office and factory. However, the security guards answered at both the places and said that the facility was closed for the day.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2016.