Four Workers Die After Inhaling Toxic Fumes Inside Surat Septic Tank

A routine cleaning operation turned into a deadly tragedy on Sunday morning in Gujarat’s Surat city , where four workers lost their lives after inhaling toxic fumes inside a septic tank at a jewellery manufacturing unit .

According to police, the incident took place in the Ashwini Kumar area when a supervisor along with three labourers entered a septic tank used to collect waste from the jewellery cleaning process. All four reportedly collapsed shortly after entering, overcome by poisonous gas accumulating inside the confined space.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone 1, Alok Kumar , said preliminary findings suggest that the workers may have suffered asphyxiation , though the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the postmortem examination .

Officials said the septic tank is typically cleaned once every two months as part of routine maintenance. On Sunday morning, the supervisor first contacted the fire department and then entered the tank along with the others. None of the workers were found to be using any safety equipment at the time of the incident.

Police have indicated that early investigation points to possible negligence and safety protocol violations . A detailed probe has been launched to determine how entry was allowed without protective gear and whether proper procedures were followed.

The fire brigade rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the alert and carried out a rescue operation. All four individuals were pulled out of the tank and taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead .

Authorities have registered a case of accidental death for now. CCTV footage from the site is being examined to reconstruct the sequence of events and identify lapses in safety compliance and responsibility.