A 22-year-old Metro Rail worker died on the spot and two others were critically injured when a lorry rammed into an iron pillar at a project site in Meenambakkam, early on Friday morning.
The workers, who were engaged in welding work, were standing on scaffolding erected around the 50-feet-high iron post when the accident occurred around 1 a.m.
The lorry, that was carrying cars from Maraimalai Nagar to Poonamallee, rammed into the temporary posts supporting the scaffolding. In the impact, the three men fell, and one of them, Ravinder from Toribabazaar village in Siwan district, Bihar, died on the spot.
Two others — Ashwanth Kumar (22) and Jar Kishwar (20) — also from Bihar, were seriously injured and have been admitted to the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Chromepet.
Gargeshwar suffered a fracture on one of his legs, while Bushwanth injured his hands and shoulders.
The police identified the driver of the lorry — who abandoned the vehicle and fled the spot — as Muthuraj of Madurai.
The St. Thomas Mount traffic police have launched a search for him.
Residents living near the accident spot expressed doubts about the adequacy of safety measures in place for workers engaged in the Metro Rail project, most of who are from other States.
The compensation amount to be paid to the victim’s family would be decided and given depending on the type of insurance scheme the workers were registered under by the contractor, a senior official of Chennai Metro Rail Limited said.
Two other workers were seriously injured; the driver of the lorry abandoned the vehicle and fled