Accidental Deaths Due to Toxic Industrial Cyanide Inhalation: An Autopsy Case Report

Autopsies of accidental deaths in industrial scenarios have always been a challenging job for a forensic pathologist. Industries that employ chemical agents pose a unique risk, especially when safety protocols are ignored. Exposure to cyanide salts creates an additional risk since death may occur quickly. We present one such incident of the accidental deaths of three industrial workers, which could have been prevented if proper safety measures had been followed. Four workers fell unconscious while cleaning the electroplating chamber of the handicraft industry. Three were declared dead on arrival at the emergency department, while one survived. Autopsy of all three victims showed similar findings of pink-colored post-mortem staining and multiple petechial hemorrhages over the heart and lungs. After histopathological and chemical analysis, the cause of death was opined to be due to complications of cyanide poisoning. In accidental industrial deaths, the forensic pathologist should consider the possibility of death due to toxic chemicals, such as cyanide, used in the manufacturing process. The industrial personnel should be educated about the risks involved, and proper use of safety equipment should be encouraged to avoid such hazardous outcomes. Additionally, the people employed in the autopsy of the deaths related to chemical disasters should ensure their personal safety and preventive measures.