COIMBATORE: Three persons died and three others were injured after a steel structure supporting an illegal hoarding on the Chengapalli-Cochin bypass at Thekkalur collapsed on workers who were engaged in changing a banner on Thursday. Police arrested a sub-contractor in connection with the case.
The deceased were identified as S Gunasekaran (52) of Salem, Kumar (45) of Jalagandapuram, and Kumar (40) of Ponnammapettai in Salem district.
According to police, a crew consisting of seven workers was engaged to change the advertisement banner on the hoarding on Thursday around 4.15 pm. Due to the sudden wind, a portion of a steel structure collapsed on them and six workers were trapped under the steel structure.
Of this, three people died on the spot. Workers, identified as Arunkumar, Shanmugasundaram and Sait(39), all from Salem, sustained injuries while one worker escaped without injuries. The injured persons were rescued and rushed to a private hospital for treatment.
They were later shifted to CMCH. Police officials said that the hoarding was ‘illegal’ and had been put up without permission on private land. Police registered a case and secured a sub-contractor, Palanisamy, on Thursday night in connection with the case. Further investigation is on.