Nine workers from Assam were killed and at least 10 were injured on Tuesday when scaffolding collapsed at the construction site of the 1,320-megawatt Ennore Special Economic Zone thermal power project near Ponneri in North Chennai. The workers had been building a concrete arch over 20 feet above the ground, when the metal scaffolding gave way, sending them crashing down nearly 30 feet, police officers said. Fellow workers and rescue teams rushed the injured to the Stanley Government Hospital, but nine of them died on the way. One person remains hospitalised with serious injuries. The incident took place at the North Chennai Thermal Power Station expansion project, where Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is the main contractor. “There was an unfortunate incident at the Ennore Thermal Power construction site where a steel arch fell, resulting in nine deaths. One person is injured. BHEL officials are present at the spot,” said J Radhakrishnan, chairman and managing director of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO). He later visited Stanley Hospital to meet the injured workers. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that all nine of the dead workers were from Assam — four from Karbi Anglong district and five from Hojao district. “We are coordinating with authorities in Tamil Nadu to bring back their mortal remains at the earliest,” he said. He also said the deceased were identified as Munna Kemprai, Sorbojit Thausen, Phaibit Fanglu, Bidayum Porbosa, Paban Sorong, Prayanto Sorong, Suman Kharikap, Dimaraj Thousen, and Dipak Raijung. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin expressed sadness over the incident, saying, “I am deeply saddened to hear that nine workers from Assam lost their lives in an accident that occurred during the construction work carried out by BHEL in Ennore. I convey my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.” Stalin also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those injured. Police officers from the Avadi Commissionerate said the cause of the collapse is still under investigation. “More than 10 people were seriously hurt in the collapse. Rescue operations are ongoing, and authorities have launched a detailed probe into the incident,” a spokesperson said. The Kattur police have filed a case and sealed off the site pending structural inspections. On Tuesday evening, grieving coworkers gathered outside Stanley Hospital, some demanding that both state authorities and contractors ensure proper compensation and workplace safety in future projects. (With PTI)
