Over 30 workers hospitalised after inhaling toxic gas

Over 30 employees of a cable product manufacturing company were rushed to hospital after inhaling toxic gas at their workplace. The workers complained of breathlessness and nausea on the night of August 14 and again on August 16 morning.

As per the FIR registered by Mahadevapura police, the incident occurred at a company at Devasandra Industrial Area in Garudacharpalya. The company had around 300 people working in shifts on three floors, police said.

“Around 7.30 pm on August 14, at least 17 people started complaining of difficulty in breathing. There was no smell, but everyone felt suffocated. I felt my throat was blocked. Some of the employees were shivering and said they were feeling cold,” said a worker who wished to remain anonymous.

The company management soon shifted the employees to various private hospitals in Whitefield. They were initially taken to Krupa Nursing Home from where they were shifted to Narayana Multispecialty, Vydhehi and Columbia Hospitals where six of them were taken to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

The Mahadevapura police rushed to the company and conducted inquiries. The firm manufactures data cables and computer connector cables.

After a holiday on Independence Day, the employees resumed work on August 16 when they again faced a similar problem. Another 17 of them, including two women, had trouble breathing. One of them vomited blood.

All of them were taken to hospitals and discharged after being administered first-aid. Five were shifted to wards and remained under observation.

The Mahadevapura police have taken up a case under IPC section 336 and 337 — causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others — and booked the owners and administrative staff of the company.

Further investigations are on.