Man dies, another critical after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning well

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A 28-year-old worker, Vinoth, died and another worker, 25-year-old Prabhu, is undergoing intensive care at Chengalpattu Government Hospital after they were allegedly exposed to toxic gas while cleaning a 60-foot-deep well near Guduvancherry on Thursday afternoon.

The incident occurred at the residence of Sivaprakasam on Muthumariamman Koil Street in Kamarajapuram. According to a TNIE report, the well had run dry due to the summer heat, prompting the homeowner to have it cleaned and deepened.

Police said the homeowner had hired Vinoth and Prabhu through a private contractor to carry out the desilting work.

The two workers entered the well on Thursday afternoon but did not return. When they failed to come back up, nearby residents checked the well and found both men unconscious.

Personnel from the Maraimalai Nagar Fire and Rescue Services rescued the workers and rushed them to Chengalpattu Government Hospital in a 108 ambulance.

Police from the Guduvanchery station reached the scene and recovered Vinoth's body. It has been sent for a postmortem examination to determine the exact cause of death.

This article was written by a student interning with TNM.