What caused collapse of cold storage unit in Prayagraj that killed four labourers

Prayagraj Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Kuldeep Singh said the two others arrested in the case are Ahmed’s associates Manjoor and Allauddin from whom the documents of the cold storage facility were seized.

Raids were being conducted to trace other accused, he said.

The deceased were identified as Sanoj alias Billar Chaudhary (36), Masinder Kumar (20) and Jyotish Kumar (22), all residents of Bihar, and Jagdish (42), a local resident.

All of them were working at the storage facility.

The complainant, Senior Sub-Inspector Kambod Singh, said they received information on Monday afternoon about an explosion in an ammonia gas chamber used for cooling at the facility. Police teams rushed to the spot and began a rescue operation.

The injured were sent to hospital during the rescue, he added.

The explosion triggered a leakage of toxic ammonia gas, which quickly spread to nearby areas and created panic among residents, Singh said.

People in the vicinity complained of suffocation, watery eyes and breathing difficulties, raising fears that prolonged exposure could be life-threatening, it is learnt.

Amid this, residents were seen running out of their homes in panic, it is learnt.

Based on inputs from local residents, the cold storage had been operating for nearly 25 years, the complainant said, adding there was no proper maintenance and upkeep of the facility.

Of the 90-100 labourers working at the unit, none had received any formal training to handle such operations, police said, and the building itself was in a dilapidated condition. No qualified technician was appointed for maintenance or supervision and there was no adherence to prescribed safety standards, police added.

The unit was operating far beyond its permitted storage capacity, as an excessive amount of gas was released above safe limits while the premises were locked from the inside, creating hazardous conditions, police said.

The accused were aware of the risks involved as they knew the gas chamber could explode at any time and that such negligence could lead to serious consequences, officials said.