A routine cleaning operation at a jewellery manufacturing unit in Surat turned fatal on Sunday after four workers lost their lives inside an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) tank, triggering fresh concerns over industrial safety practices and the absence of protective equipment during hazardous maintenance work.
The incident occurred in the Ashwini Kumar area, where workers had entered a tank used for collecting waste generated from jewellery cleaning activities. According to police, the tragedy unfolded when one worker fell into the tank during the cleaning process. As others rushed in to help him, they too collapsed inside the enclosed space, resulting in the deaths of all four men.
A case of accidental death has been registered, and further inquiries are underway.
Surat, Gujarat: In Surat’s Khad Bazaar area, four people including three workers and a supervisor died after inhaling toxic gas inside an underground ETP tank at a jewellery cleaning factory. The incident occurred while they were cleaning the tank, and all of them succumbed on… pic.twitter.com/eUSU6qXN6R
— IANS (@ians_india) June 7, 2026
Confirming the incident, DCP Zone-1 Surat Alok Kumar said the tank is cleaned periodically to remove accumulated sludge from waste generated during jewellery processing. The operation, usually carried out once every two months, was underway when the accident occurred.
Police said initial findings suggest the workers were not equipped with the mandatory protective gear required for handling hazardous waste and entering confined spaces. CCTV footage examined so far reportedly does not show the presence of safety equipment at the site.
Authorities suspect exposure to toxic substances inside the tank may have caused the workers to collapse within moments. Alok Kumar said chemical poisoning is being treated as a likely cause at this stage, although the exact reason behind the deaths will be determined only after post-mortem examinations are completed.
#WATCH | Surat, Gujarat: Four killed due to gas leak during ETP tank cleaning at jewellery company in Ashwini Kumar area, police register case. DCP Zone-1, Surat, Alok Kumar, says, “…the waste product of the jewellery cleaning flows into a septic tank, which undergoes regular… pic.twitter.com/6DwqlSsQgf
— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2026
Fire department officials who responded to the emergency said the nature of the incident was initially misunderstood. Divisional Fire Officer Ranjit Singh said emergency teams were informed that workers had fallen into a water tank. However, after reaching the location, rescuers discovered that the structure contained hazardous gases rather than water.
According to fire officials, the concentration of toxic fumes inside the tank appeared to be extremely high, causing the workers to collapse before they could escape. Rescue personnel recovered all four victims and rushed them to hospital, but they could not be saved.
#WATCH | Surat, Gujarat: Four killed due to gas leak during ETP tank cleaning at jewellery company in Ashwini Kumar area, police register case. Divisional Fire Officer, Ranjit Singh, says, “We don’t have an exact figure on the fatalities yet, but when we received the call, there… https://t.co/mmE9U6xPrH pic.twitter.com/XsbBhSefwl
— ANI (@ANI) June 7, 2026
The incident has once again highlighted the risks associated with industrial tank cleaning operations, particularly in situations where workers enter confined spaces without specialised protective equipment, gas monitoring systems or emergency rescue arrangements.
Police are examining all aspects of the incident, including workplace safety protocols, compliance measures and the circumstances that led to the workers entering the tank without adequate protection. The post-mortem reports are expected to provide further clarity on the exact cause of death.