A 22-year-old construction worker died and two others were injured when soil around a recharge well collapsed at an under construction hospital in Tondiarpet police station limits on Wednesday evening.
The accident occurred while they were setting concrete rings in the pit they had dug for rainwater harvesting.
The police gave the name of the victim as Chinnadurai from Nallampalayam, Villupuram district. The injured were identified as Veerappan, 55, and Aakash, 22, from Villupuram and all three were staying in Kodungaiyur.
The police said Mani, a mason, engaged them to build a rainwater harvesting structure at an under construction hospital in Thandavarayan Street in Old Washermanpet. Mani had called the three others and all the four were involved in digging a pit in front of the construction site. They dug a 6x15 feet pit. At around 2 p.m. The three were setting up concrete rings in the pit and were trapped when the soil caved in.
The Fire and Rescue Services personnel from Tondiarpet and Sembium reached the spot. Veerappan and Aakash were rescued and sent to a nearby hospital. Chinnadurai was buried alive and it took more than four hours to take out his body.
Chinnadurai was declared dead later at the hospital while Veerappan and Aakash are under treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital, Omandurar Estate.
