Two workers die after falling into 20-ft, water-filled pit in Dahisar

Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB) officials said the pit was at least 20-metres deep and filled with water. Surve was rescued by firemen using ropes and bamboo sticks and rushed to the nearby Shatabdi Hospital. After Surve, it took the firemen more than one hour to recover Warang’s body. Around 10.30 pm, his body was recovered. “The pit was filled with water and had rocks inside. It was also very deep. As the incident took place in the evening, rescue operations took time as visibility became an issue,” an official said.

BMC officials said as the incident took place on privately owned land, they have not issued any notices to the owner. “The matter is being investigated by police. As the pit was dug on privately owned land, we don’t have any authority to send notices to the owner. But if the police find out any negligence, then we may take action accordingly,” the official said.

The incident comes two days after three persons died in a septic tank in Mumbai’s Malvani area. BMC’s preliminary report indicates the deceased had entered the tank to clean it manually. The civic ward office has written to the police seeking an investigation.

Man dies after falling in storm water drain

In another incident at Sewri area in central Mumbai, one person died after falling into an open box drain. According to BMC’s disaster cell, five labourers, working at the site, fell into the box drain in the wee hours of Sunday. All were rescued and rushed to hospital by local residents.

One of them, identified as Mehboob Ismail (19), died while the condition of another labourer, Salim (25), is critical. The condition of the others — Shafiqul (22), Korem (35) and Mosamil (30) — is stable.

The BMC had given the contract of widening the box drain to a private contractor. “We have asked the contractor to file a report on the incident,” a civic official said.

The BMC had given the contract for the repair and widening of the box drain to a private contractor. “We have sent a show-cause letter to the contractor and have asked them to file a report on the incident, based on which next course of action would be taken,” a civic official said.