Chennai: Three asphyxiated while cleaning resort septic tank

Chennai: Manual scavenging reared its ugly head again as three persons were asphyxiated on Wednesday while cleaning the septic tank at a private luxury resort near Sriperumbur, 50 km off the city.  

The deceased were identified as Murugesan (35), Ajith alias Maari (34) both residents of Nemmilichery near Avadi, and Ravi (32) of Somangalam. The incident happened around 1 pm on Wednesday at Hudson Hotels on Pondur bypass off Chennai-Bengaluru Highway.

While Murugesan and Maari are employees of the Chennai-based firm hired by hotel authorities to clear the sewage from tanks, Ravi is an electrician at the hotel, police said.

Preliminary investigations revealed that every two days, the sewer tankers are cleaned and once in a month, staff come for complete cleaning of the tanks. On Wednesday, five persons had come for the work.

After clearing the water from the sewer, Murugesan was the first to climb down the 10-foot tank. When he was down by around 7 feet deep, he fainted letting out a scream after which Maari followed him.

Ravi, who witnessed both of them fall unconscious,  informed the others who were a few meters away. Before others could stop him, Ravi got into the tank and he fell unconscious too. Two others,  Sekar and Kumar, fainted outside. Police and fire and rescue personnel rushed to the scene on information. Rescue teams got inside the tank wearing safety gear and fished out the three men. The trio along with the two others who fell unconscious outside were moved to the Sriperumbudur Government Hospital where Murugesan, Maari and Ravi were declared brought dead.  

Sriperumbudur police informed the families of the victims. Police said that a case will be registered after a complaint from the victim’s families. Further investigations are on.