The men injured in the crane collapse at the metro rail site, near Pachaiyappa’s College on Wednesday night, are yet to come to terms with the accident. They lay in their beds at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, waiting for their contractor or his representatives to show up.
Though they are colleagues, the labourers do not seem to know much about each other — not even names or native towns. Many workers from the nearby Nehru Park site too, visited the injured, but were clueless of their family details or other whereabouts.
Rabinder, aged around 22, has been injured near the eye while Ajay Singh is bleeding from the ear, said resident medical officer J. Rajeswari. Both are however, out of danger, she said.
Sonelal and Sunil, both aged 23 years, joined the other workers in the city on August 2. The injured were employed as fitters, welders, and helpers. Some of them are from Kolkata while others are from Bihar. They have worked in construction sites as far apart as in Kerala, Kolkata and Tiruchi. Some have worked in units constructing bridges, while others have been involved in building slum board tenements.
Another injured worker, Emanuel (35), says he is sure his back is broken. “Below my abdomen, I feel light and detached. I am in pain and the doctor has told me I cannot eat anything,” he says. He has four children, two girls and two boys.
As the workers do not understand Tamil, L&T has posted an employee fluent in Tamil and Hindi, to help them at the hospital.
Emanuel has been put on a liquid diet as he is being prepared for surgery, a doctor said. Hospital authorities say the patient’s recovery would depend on the nature of his injuries.
