Pune: Three workers lost their lives on Sunday afternoon after entering a drainage tank at a mushroom processing unit in Belsar village of Purandar taluka in Pune district. The incident occurred around 4:30 pm under the jurisdiction of Jejuri Police Station, officials said.
According to the Pune Rural police, the tragedy began when a worker entered the tank to clean a wastewater drainage line but did not return. Worried about his safety, a second worker entered the tank to check on him, followed by a third worker to attempt a rescue. All three failed to come out.
Local residents rushed to the spot after noticing the situation. With the help of a JCB machine, they broke open the concrete slab covering the tank and pulled the workers out. The three men were immediately taken to Jejuri Rural Hospital, where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
Police said that initial findings suggest the workers may have inhaled toxic gases that had built up inside the tank. This likely caused suffocation and led to unconsciousness and death.
The deceased have been identified as Pintu Rajesh Prasad (23), Vyas Soham Kumar (22), and Gautam Ramsuran Kushwaha (36). All three were residents of Deoria district in Uttar Pradesh.
Officials said post-mortem examinations are currently being conducted to determine the exact cause of death. An accidental death case has been registered, and further investigation is underway.
