Two migrant labourers from Jharkhand were buried alive on Thursday evening as a compound wall collapsed when they were working in a trench dug for construction of storm water drainage.
Police said a team of migrant labourers from Jharkhand were involved in digging the trench for storm water drainage, which is under construction for the past three years to drain rainwater in State Bank Colony and adjoining areas during monsoon. Even as an earthmover was digging the trench near the compound wall of a marine products export company in Sundaravelpuram here, the migrant labourers were preparing the steel bars for constructing the concrete wall of the storm water drainage.
“Since the soil in this region is loose, the workers involved in digging trenches in the area usually give support with steel poles to adjoining compound walls and other structures to prevent possible collapse. Without taking this precaution, the migrant labourers had been involved in the work that triggered the collapse of the compound wall of the company,” said a police officer who visited the spot.
When the compound wall collapsed, seven migrant workers, all from Jharkhand, who were preparing the steel bars for concreting the storm water drainage, were trapped beneath undre it. While Bagrad Ali, 21 and Amit, 24, both suffered grievous injuries and died on the spot, others were rescued with injuries by Fire and Rescue Services personnel. They were rushed to Thoothukudi Medical College Hospital for treatment.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thoothukudi City, Ganesh, visited the spot and grilled the supervisor of the work.
“Since the workers were not provided with safety gears such as helmets, gloves and boots, two persons have been killed in the wall collapse,” said the sources in the police.
Thoothukudi North police have registered a case.
