3 asphyxiated while pulling out timber from septic tank

TIRUCHY: Three workers died of asphyxiation after inhaling poisonous gas while cleaning a septic tank in a house in Karur on Tuesday evening.

Sources said, Gunasekaran, an advocate from Chellandipalayam near Sukkaliyur in Karur, was constructing a house in the locality. Due to some personal reasons, he suspended the construction last year. Since the works were stopped , Siva alias Rajesh (40), a centring worker and a resident from Thoranakalpatti, along with his friend and Sivakumar (38), another centering worker from Malaipatti, went to collect the wooden poles from the construction site on Tuesday evening and started removing them.

When they entered the septic tank from they were removing the timber, they allegedly inhaled poisonous gas and asphyxiated. Since the duo did not come out even after a long time, K Mohanraj (23), an electrician from Thanthondrimalai, who was working in the building, went to check on them. When Mohanraj looked into the septic tank he was also asphyxiated.

Subsequently, Karthik, the mason, went near the septic tank looking for the trio, as he smelt bad odour he fled the spot and alerted Thanthondrimalai police and Karur Fire and Rescue personnel who rushed to the spot. When the personnel checked the tank, they found all the three lying dead. The team retrieved the bodies after clearing the gas and sent them to the Karur Medical College Hospital.

SP A Sundaravadanam, Karur RDO Rubina visited the spot and conducted an inquiry. The SP told the reporters that a detailed investigation would be conducted after registering a case.