DIMAPUR — Two fatal ringwell accidents in Dimapur in four days have prompted the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) to warn residents against entering wells without adequate safety measures and trained assistance.

Two persons died while cleaning a deep ringwell at a neighbour’s residence in Oriental colony on October 6. On Friday, a 35-year-old man died while cleaning a ringwell at Darogapathar, 3rd Mile. The latter incident is suspected to have involved suffocation caused by methane gas inhalation, the DDMA stated in a public safety advisory.

The authority warned that wells can contain toxic gases or dangerously low levels of oxygen, causing a person to lose consciousness or die without warning. It urged residents to leave cleaning, inspection and repair work to trained personnel equipped to handle such hazards.

The advisory also cautioned against attempting to rescue anyone who collapses inside a well by entering it. Such attempts could claim another life, it warned, urging people to alert emergency responders instead.

Any authorised entry into a well must be preceded by gas testing and adequate ventilation, the DDMA stated, adding that the absence of an unusual smell does not mean the air is safe.

Residents have also been asked to keep children and unauthorised persons away from open wells and work sites, and ensure that rescue personnel have clear access during emergencies.

The public can contact the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Dimapur, at 7005806182 or the DDMA at 8131924008.

“No cleaning or maintenance work is worth risking a human life,” the advisory stated.

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