Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 1 (ANI): Four hotel employees died after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning an underground waste chamber at a hotel on Dewas Road in Ujjain on Saturday night.

According to District Collector Raushan Kumar Singh, two individuals initially entered the food waste tank for cleaning. 

“An unfortunate incident has been reported at a hotel premises. It appears there is a tank for food waste; two individuals entered it, presumably for cleaning purposes. Subsequently—for reasons yet to be determined—two more people entered the tank in an attempt to rescue them. In total, it is reported that four individuals have lost their lives,” Singh told ANI. 

Ujjain Police SP Pradeep Sharma explained that a gas leak likely made the surface extremely slippery, which caused the individuals to collapse on the hotel premises.

“At the Hotel, staff members—along with some private individuals brought in for the task—entered an above-ground chamber used for collecting leftover food and residual waste. It appears that a gas leak occurred, which made the floor extremely slippery and caused the individuals to collapse. Others who entered the chamber to assist them also collapsed; these individuals were rescued and transported to the hospital. While some are now in stable condition, four people remain in critical condition. Police personnel made continuous efforts to revive them by administering CPR, and a medical team has been placed on standby at the hospital. All four individuals are currently being transported to the hospital via ambulance…” Sharma told ANI. 

District Collector Singh added that authorities are currently gathering further details to determine the exact sequence of events.

“Further details regarding the circumstances and the exact nature of how this incident unfolded are currently being gathered,” added Singh. 

Further details are awaited. (ANI)