CHENNAI: A labourer engaged in repairing a storm water drain at KK Nagar here died on Thursday as a compound wall on the roadside collapsed and a generator kept on the wall fell on the workers.
Chennai corporation officials said they were not liable to pay any compensation to the worker’s family since he was not directly employed by the civic body, but only by a contractor.
T Sanjay, aged 24 and a resident of Villivakkam, had joined the work to repair the storm water drain on Munnasami Street. Four persons, including a woman, were in the storm water drain when the compound wall of the adjacent commercial building suddenly collapsed around 4 pm.
“They were engaged in the work for the last three days. I had just then left the spot and went to a nearby departmental store. There was a loud noise and we all rushed and the wall had fallen on the workers. The generator had fallen on Sanjay,” said a security guard in the area.
Staff of nearby shops and passersby pulled out the workers who were trapped under the debris. While three other men who were inside the pit survived with injuries, Sanjay died on the spot. “Only recently his father died of sickness. So, he took the burden of supporting the education of his younger sister, who is now in Class XII. He was earning about `300 daily and it was very helpful in running their family,” said Harish, Sanjay’s cousin.
“There was a pending dispute over the property and hence the compound wall was not properly maintained. It collapsed when the work was carried out close to it,” said a police officer.
Three other workers who were in the pit at the time of accident also suffered severe injuries and were being treated. A case has been registered by K K Nagar Police against the contractor Vetri and Rajesh and further inquires are on.