Worker involved in underground drainage work in Madurai buried alive, rescue attempt ongoing

The 36-year-old from Erode was working at a depth of 15 feet, when a nearby drinking water pipeline burst, filling the pit with water and causing the loose soil around to cave in

A contract employee, R. Sakthivel (36), of Erode was buried alive in a 15-ft pit, while he was involved in underground drainage work that is being executed by the Madurai Corporation, in Ashok Nagar, on Monday.

Police and Fire and Rescue services personnel were attempting to pull him out from the slushy as of 1 p.m. in Monday.

According to the site engineer, A. Subash Chandra Bose, five workers were involved in the laying of an underground drainage pipeline on Monday morning. Sakthivel, who operates the concrete breaker, was working at a depth of 15 feet, when the nearby drinking water pipeline burst and a huge quantity of water filled up the pit within a few seconds. The loose soil around the concrete manhole caved in and it buried him.

Attempts by coworkers to pull him out did not fructify due to the gushing flow of water, Mr. Bose said. No Corporation engineer was present at the site when the accident took place.

Efforts are underway at present, to pump out the water to rescue the buried worker.

In a similar accident another contract worker was killed in Vilangudi in June.

Madurai Mayor Indrani Ponvasant, Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan and Corporation Commissioner Simranjeet Singh were present at the site to oversee the rescue operation.