Six factory workers died at a garment factory in Karachi, Pakistan, at the weekend while cleaning a chemical tank.
According to local reports, the tank, which was around 50 feet deep, was partly filled with chemicals. Police say one worker initially entered it for cleaning but fell unconscious, while the others were affected while trying to rescue him.
The workers, at the factory near Naurus Chowrangi in the SITE industrial area of Karachi, were taken to a nearby hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.
A preliminary investigation by local police found the workers had “suffocated due to a poisonous gas because the tank contained a chemical substance,” The International News in Pakistan reported.
No arrests are understood to have been made but the families of the victims have demanded the government ensure effective labour inspection mechanisms to address the lack of occupational health and safety standards in the industrial sector.
The statements of the factory owner, management and witnesses were recorded, and it is understood the case will be registered if the factory administration is found guilty of negligence or the deceased’s families approached the police to file a complaint.
Sindh Industries and Commerce Minister Jam Ikramullah Dharejo has ordered the SITE managing director to inspect the location and submit a report, and has directed the relevant officials to identify those responsible for the negligence and take legal action against them, according to a report published by The Express Tribune.
