Two men died when they stepped into a septic tank to clean it, at Pallavaram on Friday.
Police said S. Devaraj (28), driver of a private sewage clearing lorry, and M. Munna (21), its cleaner, came to clean the septic tank of a house. Devaraj stepped inside the tank after breaking open the concrete surface. Munna followed and both fell unconscious after inhaling poisonous fumes in the tank.
A group of residents pulled out Munna, who regained his consciousness. With a rope tied to his waist, he entered the tank again to rescue Devaraj. However, Munna lost consciousness again. An ambulance arrived at the spot. The two men were pulled out and rushed to Tambaram Taluk Government Hospital in Chromepet, where they were pronounced dead on arrival.