Three die of asphyxiation

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI, JAN. 6. Three contract employees, including an engineer, died of asphyxiation at the treatment plant of Metrowater Sewage Pumping Station, Nesapakkam, K. K. Nagar on Saturday evening.

The victims have been identified as Dilipkumar (32), Sankar (19) and Sathish (22). They were working for a private company, which was on a contract with Metrowater.

Mr. Varadharajan, supervisor of the company, said the two labourers and the engineer, went to the sewage treatment plant to release a valve at around 3.00 p.m. and they were visible till 4.15 p.m. When their presence was not felt afterwards, the other employees of the company grew suspicious and searched for them. When they could not be traced, the company sought the help of the fire service.

A six-member rescue team led by Mr. K. Parthiban, Additional Divisional Fire Officer, South, swung into action. The first body was retrieved at around 7.00 p.m. followed by the second at around 8.00 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, the third body was also taken out.

Fire Service personnel said, when one of the two labourers entered the sump, he fell unconscious into the slush due to gas formation. In an attempt to help his co-worker, when another labourer tried to pull him out, he was also trapped. On seeing both the workers stuck in the sewage, the engineer waiting outside, tried to lend a helping hand. But he too fell due to asphyxiation.

The bodies would be handed over to the relatives after conducting postmortem at the Government Royapettah Hospital, said Mr. S. Rajendran, Inspector of Police (Law and Order), K.K.Nagar.

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Section  : Southern States
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