Bhopal, Nov 1 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday expressed grief over the death of four people in an accident while cleaning a chamber at a private hotel in Ujjain, his home district, and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
In a statement, Chief Minister Yadav said the incident was extremely painful and prayed to Baba Mahakal to grant peace to the departed souls and strength to the families to bear the loss.
The Chief Minister also directed the state government to provide financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the four deceased.
The accident occurred late Saturday night at Hotel Shri Ganga on Dewas Road in Ujjain, where four people allegedly died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning a chamber used to collect waste generated by the hotel’s sweets and dairy products unit.
According to preliminary information, two people initially entered the chamber for cleaning but fell unconscious. Two others subsequently went inside in an attempt to rescue them but were also overcome by the suspected toxic gas.
The deceased were identified as Kamlesh, Nitin and Wahid, all residents of Ujjain, and Manoj Meena, a resident of Jhalawar in Rajasthan.
Rescue personnel faced difficulties in retrieving the victims from the chamber. A portion of the structure was cut open to pull them out. Police personnel also attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but the four could not be saved.
Two other people involved in the rescue effort were also affected and taken to a hospital, according to preliminary reports.
Police are investigating whether safety protocols were followed, if gas levels were checked before the workers entered, and whether they were provided with necessary safety equipment. The role of the hotel management and possible negligence are also under scrutiny.
Further legal action will be taken based on the post-mortem and investigation reports, police officials said
–IANS
pd/dpb