Two workers die while repairing Chennai Corporation motor in Kodungaiyur

Two workers employed by a private firm contracted by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) died on Monday, October 12, while repairing a faulty electric motor inside a nearly 20-feet deep stormwater drainage sump near Kodungaiyur in Chennai.

The deceased have been identified as M Naveen Kumar (34), a resident of west Tambaram and M Asmath Basha (38), from Ranipet district. Both were employed by Savariya Motors, a private firm engaged for the motor repair work.

While some accounts said the deaths were caused by asphyxiation due to toxic gas accumulated inside the closed sump, some allege the possibility of an electric shock from the faulty motor. The postmortem examination is expected to establish the cause of death.

According to reports, Naveen Kumar entered the sump to fix the repaired motor but soon struggled to breathe and fell unconscious. Basha also went inside in an attempt to rescue him but was left unconscious.

The third worker, Karthikeyan alerted the police and fire and rescue services, who reached the spot and recovered the duo.

They were taken to the Government Stanley Medical College Hospital, where they were declared brought dead.

The incident occurred at a sump on Thendral Nagar Third Street in Kodungaiyur, in Ward 34. The facility, built by the GCC at a cost of Rs 25.85 lakh, is intended to collect excess rainwater from the neighbourhood's stormwater drains and pump it towards a disposal point near the Kodungaiyur Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).

The sump has a capacity of 50,000 litres and includes two electric motors, in which one of the motors developed a fault during trial testing conducted about a week, which made officials ask the contractor to arrange repairs. The contractor in turn approached the motor supplier to address the problem.

According to reports, representatives of the motor supplier arrived at the site at around 3 pm on Monday to carry out the repair work and no corporation or local officials were present when the workers prepared to enter the sump.

The corporation has also alleged that the supplier’s representatives undertook the work without making adequate safety arrangements.

GCC officials also suspect that sewage may have entered the stormwater drainage network through illegal connections, potentially contributing to the accumulation of toxic gases inside the sump.

Workers are generally lowered into such wells using a chain attached to a girder placed across the opening. This arrangement allows workers to be pulled out quickly in an emergency. In this instance, the workers appeared to have entered using a ladder, according to reports.

Also, during such operations, the lids of at least 10 stormwater drains in the vicinity are usually kept open to allow toxic gases to disperse and prevent their accumulation in confined spaces. This precaution had also not been followed at the site.

GCC Commissioner GS Sameeran said the corporation has lodged a police complaint against the contractor for engaging workers without proper intimation and safety arrangements.

“A First Information Report (FIR) is being filed against the contractor. Disciplinary action was also initiated against Assistant Engineer (Electrical) and Assistant Engineer (Division). An inquiry has been initiated, headed by the Regional Deputy Commissioner (North), Sweta Suman, on this matter,” Sameeran told TNIE.

The police have registered a case under Section 194 (unnatural death) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). 

Further investigation is underway.