Chennai: Three contract workers died Monday night while cleaning an effluent treatment plant tank at a Tata Electronics facility, which manufactures parts for Apple iPhones, in Tamil Nadu’s Hosur. Preliminary information from police sources suggests they succumbed to asphyxiation after inhaling toxic gas while doing maintenance work.
The effluent treatment facility is operated by Nalco Water, a subsidiary of the US-based Ecolab. The workers were inspecting an external nano-filtration tank when they inhaled the gas. The deceased have been identified as B. Akmal (28) of Thinnur village in Panchapalli, P. Kaveri (30) of Hanumanthapuram, and M. Sarathikumar (25) of Belrampatti near Palacode, all from Dharmapuri district. They were part of a four-member team engaged by Nalco Water through a contractor for routine maintenance of the effluent treatment plant.
According to District Collector C. Dinesh Kumar, the incident took place around 5 pm. Akmal first opened the lid of the nano-filtration feed tank to inspect or clear sludge and collapsed after inhaling gas, falling inside. Sarathikumar then entered to check on him and also lost consciousness, while Kaveri subsequently went in to rescue the two and collapsed as well. A fourth worker raised the alarm after receiving no response from the others.
The colleagues and the factory’s safety team pulled the three workers out and administered first aid at the on-site occupational health centre. The three were then rushed to a private hospital in Hosur, where they were declared brought dead. Their bodies were later shifted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for post-mortem.
The Collector said proper safety measures were apparently not in place. He asked why the workers entered the confined tank at all, pointing out that sludge clearing can normally be done externally through a trapdoor. Police are examining whether a chemical powder used to suppress odour in the tank may have reacted with stagnant residue to release the toxic gas.
Police are also looking into adherence to confined-space protocols, protective equipment and supervision of contract workers. Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board officials are also expected to inspect the premises. Apple and Tata Electronics are also expected to investigate the incident internally but the companies have not publicly commented on the incident so far.
Ecolab said in a statement that it will be providing Rs 30 lakh compensation to the family of each of the deceased, apart from insurance.
“We are working with the local authorities in the investigation of this incident. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of those impacted. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected and our first priority is to extend all possible support to the families. Safety is a core value and is fundamental to everything we do at Ecolab. We take this incident extremely seriously. We are deeply committed to upholding the highest standards of safety across our operations and the sites where we work,” the statement added.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister Keerthana expressed condolences and directed the district administration to support the bereaved families. The government will also investigate the issue and has said action will be taken against those responsible. Police have registered a case and the district administration is overseeing the inquiry.
Keerthana, in a statement, said, “The safety and dignity of every worker must remain paramount. This tragic incident will be thoroughly investigated, and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings. We must ensure that every necessary measure is put in place to prevent such tragedies from recurring.”
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy called for a thorough and time-bound probe. He said questions had already been raised about why entry into the tank was necessary when the work could apparently have been done externally. “The Tamil Nadu government must ensure a thorough, transparent, and time-bound investigation into the incident. All aspects, including adherence to confined-space safety protocols, provision of protective equipment, supervision of contract workers, and the role of both the principal employer and the contractor, must be examined without delay,” he wrote on X.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: NGT directs Delhi pollution body to recover Rs 10 lakh from Kondli sewage treatment plants