Toxic gas case: two die during treatment

Two of the five men who were hospitalised on Sunday after they inhaled toxic gases at a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Vivanta by Taj hotel in Khan Market died during treatment on Tuesday.

Ravinder (40), the STP operator, and 26-year-old Vikram, a security guard at the hotel, succumbed to injuries at Moolchand Hospital, said the police.

“Three others — Nityanand [52], Kamdev [58] and Gaurav [34] — are stable and have been shifted from the ICU. They are still unfit to give a statement. We will try to contact them to find out the sequence of events,” said Madhur Verma, DCP (New Delhi).

On Sunday, a leak was reported at the STP of the hotel and a five-man team was deployed to fix the issue. Ravinder was the first to enter the plant. He allegedly screamed before collapsing.

To save him, the other four went inside one after the other and also collapsed.

A Delhi Fire Services team was called to the spot and the men were shifted to a hospital, said the police.

‘Hydrocarbon particles’

The bodies of the deceased were handed over to their respective families after post-mortem.

The medicolegal case report of the deceased stated that particles of hydrocarbons were found in the lungs. The post-mortem reports are likely to be ready within three days.

“We have registered an FIR under Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against persons and officials of EcoPollutech Engineers [firm which runs the plant] and the hotel. We are trying to finding out whether the men were wearing safety gear at the time of the incident,” said the DCP.

“We are deeply saddened by the demise of Ravinder Kumar, an employee of EcoPollutech Engineers, and Vikram Singh, an employee of Securitas. We are providing all possible support to their families ... Vivanta Ambassador is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation of this incident,” said the hotel’s spokesperson.

Ravinder is survived by his wife, who is suffering from larynx cancer, and two daughters.

‘Didn’t tell us about job’

“After he lost his job as an accountant at a fuel refilling station two years back, he joined a company as an STP operator but he never told us the nature of his job. We got to know only after his death. He did it just to feed and educate us,” said Ravinder’s eldest daughter Isha Kanojia.

She added that they had been making plans to mark their parents 21st marriage anniversary, which was just a week away. “Our father had promised to take me to the hotel where he works for dinner if I clear by Class X exams with first division,” said her sister Shilpa.