VIJAYAWADA: Two contract workers were killed and five others sustained injuries when an industrial lift carrying them crashed to the ground from a height of about 80 feet at the Dr Narla Tata Rao Thermal Power Station (Dr NTTPS) near Ibrahimpatnam on Saturday. The deceased, identified as Chotu Singh (24) and Jithendra Singh (25), were from Jharkhand.
The incident happened around 10 am when about 20 workers boarded the lift at the under-construction fifth unit at the thermal power plant. Eyewitnesses said the elevator malfunctioned as more than the prescribed number of people boarded it. Once all the workers, except Chotu and Jithendra, deboarded, the lift went up by 80 feet and crashed to the ground as the cable snapped.
According to Ibrahimpatnam police inspector Palivela Srinu, the deceased workers had been working at the fifth unit for the past one year for installing the turbine and other equipment. They were hired by the sub-contracting company Power Mech Projects Limited.
Alleging that regular maintenance works for the lift were not carried out, workers held the company concerned for the incident.
“Statements have been recorded and a case of suspicious death under Section 174 of CrPC has been registered. Investigation is on,” said Srinu.
Meanwhile, workers and family members of the deceased staged a protest and demanded the contracting company to pay an ex gratia of `25 lakh each to the bereaved families.