THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two sisters were killed in a quarry mishap at Attingal on Monday morning. The deceased were identified as Lalitha, 50, and Sankari, 42, of Varuvila Puthenveettil, Ilamba, Mudakkal, who were working at the Parayadimala quarry in Poikamukku, about 7 km from Attingal town.
According to the Attingal Police, the accident occurred when a huge boulder fell on the victims from a 60-feet-high cliff.
The sisters were engaged in metal crushing when the boulder crashed down in the rains around 9.45 am, they said.
The rescue operations were led by the Attingal Police and Fire and Rescue Services. The officials said Lalitha was partially trapped and Sankari fully crushed under the rock. The quarry workers and the police took Lalitha to the Medical College Hospital, where she was declared brought dead.
The body of Sankari was retrieved after the rescue workers lifted the rock with the help of an excavator.
She was taken to the Chirayinkeezhu Taluk Hospital, where the death was confirmed.
The Fire brigade said the sisters were part of a team numbering around 12 engaged in crushing the rocks. “When the rain intensified, their colleagues took shelter at a nearby place. The sisters continued work under the shade of the cliff, from which the boulder fell,” they said.
Around six quarry units function at the Parayadimala and the accident occurred at the one owned by Thankamaniyan of Reshma Bhavan, Thachoorkunnu, Avanavancherry, Attingal. He reportedly told the police that there was no blasting at the quarry and the boulder collapsed in the rains.
Officials said the attendance at the quarry was low on the day as there was no blasting.
“Usually, around 600 personnel work at the quarry. It would have been a major mishap had it been a normal working day,” they said. The police team was led by Attingal Circle Inspector Anilkumar and Grade sub-inspector Sasidharakurup.
The Fire and Rescue Services team was headed by Attingal station officer G Sureshkumar and assistant station officer K V Sunilkumar.