TIRUPATI: Three people including a three-year-old toddler died when the chimney of a rain-drenched brick kiln collapsed on them at Rajupeta Road in Ramakuppam mandal in Chittoor district on the Andhra Pradesh-Karnataka border early Wednesday.
Police said there had been heavy rain on Tuesday night, which weakened the brick kiln. The chimney stack collapsed on a shed beside it. The caretaker of the kiln, Suku Saheb (69), his wife Fathima (55) and their grandson Nayeez (3) were sleeping in the shed and were crushed to death.
The family hails from Konganapalli village in Karnataka, some 5 km from Rajupeta road. They had been working at the brick kiln for some time now.
The Karnataka police have registered a case and have taken up the investigation.