Two labourers die of suffocation after falling into 30-foot well at RMC plant in Naigaon

Mumbai: Two labourers died of suffocation after falling into a 30-foot-deep well at a Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plant in Sasupada, Naigaon East, on Friday evening. A third worker, who descended into the well in a rescue attempt, was saved just in time. The Naigaon police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) on Saturday and have initiated further investigation.

According to police, the incident occurred at a site where cement is processed. The deceased, Vishwajit Rajbhar, 20, and Rajan Rajbhar, 24, were working at the plant and had descended into the well, which was being used to store water, using a rope. The rope is believed to have snapped, causing both men to fall.

Upon hearing their cries for help, another labourer, Ajay Yadav, alerted others at the site. Salman Khan, 25, a fellow worker, volunteered to descend into the well to rescue them. However, he too began to suffocate due to the lack of oxygen and poor ventilation in the confined space.

The depth and darkness of the well complicated rescue efforts. The site supervisor eventually arranged for a Hydra crane, which was used to retrieve all three workers from the well.

Vishwajit and Rajan were found unconscious and were rushed to Nilkanth Hospital, while Salman, who was struggling to breathe, was taken to Orbit Hospital in Kashimira. Around 11 pm on Friday, doctors declared Vishwajit and Rajan dead during treatment.

Police said both deceased workers were originally from Banaras in Uttar Pradesh and had been living alone in Mumbai. They were residents of the Sasupada area in Naigaon.

“A case has been registered under an Accidental Death Report and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. We are investigating the circumstances that led to the fall and subsequent suffocation of the workers,” said police sub-inspector Anil Kere, who is handling the investigation.