A tragic industrial accident in Himachal Pradesh's Una district claimed the lives of two workers and left three others fighting for their lives on Monday morning. The incident occurred at a steel bar processing unit located within the Gagret industrial area.
Crane Overturn Leads to Catastrophe
The fatal mishap took place when a crane, which was in the process of lifting a heavy load of scrap metal, suddenly overturned. The massive pile of scrap came crashing down on five workers who were present in the immediate vicinity. The force of the falling metal caused severe injuries to all the victims.
The deceased have been identified as Shambhu Mushar, a native of Bihar, and a local worker named Munna from Gagret. The morning shift turned fatal for the labourers who had no time to react or escape the collapsing machinery and debris.
Emergency Response and Hospitalisation
All the injured workers were rushed immediately to the Civil Hospital in Gagret for emergency medical treatment. However, the doctors at the facility could only declare two of the workers as brought dead upon arrival.
Given the critical condition of the three surviving injured, medical professionals administered first aid and made the swift decision to refer them to the better-equipped Regional Hospital in Una for advanced trauma care. Their condition remains a serious concern.
Police Investigation Initiated
As soon as information about the industrial accident reached the authorities, Una Superintendent of Police (SP) Amit Yadav reached the spot along with a team of police officials. The police have taken cognizance of the matter and have registered a First Information Report (FIR) to begin a formal investigation.
The probe will likely focus on determining the exact cause of the crane failure, examining whether safety protocols were being followed at the steel bar unit, and assessing if there was any negligence involved. Such incidents repeatedly highlight the urgent need for stringent safety measures in industrial and construction zones across the country.
The accident in Gagret has cast a pall over the industrial area, raising pertinent questions about operational safety standards for workers, especially those involved in high-risk material handling tasks.
