Tamil Nadu: Four die of asphyxiation while cleaning septic tank

The bodies were taken to Thoothukudi Government Medical College for a post-mortem exam. The house owner was booked and a probe is on. (Representational Image)

Four youths cleaning a septic tank in Tamil Nadu’s Thoothukudi district died of asphyxiation on Thursday.

The police said the incident happened at a house in Chekkarakudi, a village about 40 km west of Thoothukudi town.

Pandi (24), Isakiraja (20), Bala (23), and Dinesh (20) hailed from the neighbouring Tirunelveli district. They had been engaged in the work since morning. At noon, one of them fainted inside the septic tank. “After that, the others too entered the tank one by one and managed to take him outside. While people rushed him to a hospital, the three others also fainted,” said a police officer.

A fire and rescue team was alerted, but, by the time they arrived, the three had died. The youth taken to the hospital was declared brought dead.