A tragic industrial accident occurred in the Varachha area of Surat early on Sunday morning, which claimed the lives of four workers due to allegedly inhaling toxic gas while cleaning an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) tank in the Khand Bazar area.
Based on initial reports, four labourers entered the ETP tank in a routine cleaning drive when they reportedly developed breathing problems and were declared unconscious in minutes, likely due to the poisonous gases present within the confined space of the tank.
At approximately 10:22 am, the fire department was informed of the trapped person in the ETP tank. After a difficult rescue operation, the team emerged with four workers found to be unconscious in the tank, subsequently brought out of the tank and rushed to SMIMER hospital with the help of other emergency services.
Surat, Gujarat: In Surat’s Khad Bazaar area, four people including three workers and a supervisor died after inhaling toxic gas inside an underground ETP tank at a jewellery cleaning factory. The incident occurred while they were cleaning the tank, and all of them succumbed on… pic.twitter.com/eUSU6qXN6R
— IANS (@ians_india) June 7, 2026
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“This morning, a team of 4 people went there to perform the cleaning. During the process, one man fell into the tank, and the other labourers who went to rescue him also fell in. A total of four deaths have been reported. We are currently registering a case of accidental death,” ANI quoted DCP Zone-1, Surat, Alok Kumar.
“Preliminary examination of CCTV footage does not reveal the presence of any required safety equipment. Prima facie, chemical poisoning seems to be the cause, as sudden deaths resulting from asphyxiation in such contexts often involve chemical poisoning. However, we cannot state this definitively until the doctor's post-mortem report confirms the cause of death, which happened early in the morning while they were there to carry out the cleaning. They lacked the proper gear required for handling and removing this sludge, which is why this poisoning incident occurred,” Kumar said.
Although immediately given medical care, it was confirmed by doctors that all four workers died upon arrival at the hospital, leading to widespread mourning in the vicinity and at the hospital itself.
Security Lapses Investigated
The workers belonged to the jewellery manufacturing unit located at Ashwini Kumar in Surat, which cleans their ETPs on an interval of two months. While a supervisor and three other labourers went into the tank on Sunday morning for cleaning purposes, none of them survived to return.
Investigations have found evidence that security measures in all likelihood were not taken, stated Alok Kumar, deputy commissioner of police, who has registered a case of accidental death and is overseeing the probe.
Workers Entered Tank Without Safety Gear
Divisional Fire Officer Ranjitsinh Khadia said the incident took place at Rati Jewellers, an industrial unit where waste and raw materials are processed through an ETP system. Labourers hired by a contractor had been assigned to clean the tank.
Officials noted that the workers were not wearing any protective equipment while carrying out the cleaning operation. Fire personnel also inspected the surrounding area but found no immediate clues regarding the source of the toxic gas.
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The victims have been identified as:
Nimesh Vitthalbhai Savaliya (26), Supervisor
Vikas Kumar Santoshbhai Sonawane (24)
Vijay Bhikhabhai Ahire (24)
Yogesh Nanabhai Jadav
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine the exact cause of the deaths and whether safety violations contributed to the tragedy.