Three workers in Dhokali STP uneasy due to ‘toxic’ paint

THANE: In a freak mishap, three painters allegedly operating without safety gear complained of uneasiness after inhaling ‘toxic’ paint while working in the underground chamber of an under-construction sewage treatment plant at Dhokali on Monday morning.
Thane civic officials said, the incident occurred when the workers assigned by a civic contractor to paint the chamber with an epoxy coat started feeling uneasy possibly due to lack of ventilation in the tank. The underground sump was nearly 30-feet-deep and had only one small iron grille opening at the top which did not allow the supposedly toxic fumes of the paint to escape, said the official.

While other workers managed to come out in time, one of them started complaining of giddiness and was unable to even climb the ladder to safety.

On seeing their accomplice losing conscious, the duo again descended the tank to retrieve their trapped aide but by the time they reached the bottom, the duo also started feeling nauseated and started losing their conscious. Meanwhile, panicked colleagues of the trio alerted the fire brigade and the regional disaster management cell that rushed to the spot and admitted the men to the nearest hospital.

Kailash Mumbaikar, deputy city engineer and in-charge of the civic sewage disposal department said action will be taken only after conducting necessary investigations.