At least seven workers died after falling into a chemical tank of a pickle factory in Karachi’s Korangi area on Sunday.
Seven bodies were found inside a chemical tank at the factory, Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) West Muneer Sheikh said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Korangi Junaid Sheikh confirmed the incident, which he said took place at a small pickle factory located in Allah Wala Town of Korangi.
Sheikh said the men had been identified as the owner of the factory, Mehtab, and six workers: Sohail, Saleem, Imran, Adnan, Nawab, and Rafeeq.
Rescue workers, who reached the factory before police, said they acted upon receiving information about the presence of several bodies inside the factory. It was unclear if the men had fallen inside the tank or had been dumped there.
However, SSP Sheikh said it appeared from initial investigation that one of the men had tripped over into the tank, while the other men fell while trying to save him. He said that police was carrying out further investigation to confirm how the unfortunate incident took place.
Dr Seemi Jamali, head of emergency at the Jinnah Hospital where the bodies were taken, said it appeared that the men had died from suffocation, but the cause of death could only be confirmed following post-mortem examination.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took immediate notice of the tragedy and sought a report from police. He directed that responsibility may be fixed and serious action taken.
