Chennai, Oct 13 (PTI) Two workers suffocated to death after inhaling toxic gas while cleaning an electric motor inside a 20-foot-deep stormwater drainage sump at Kodungaiyur here, police said on Tuesday.
The deceased were identified as Aslam Bashsa (38) from Ranipet and Naveen Kumar (34) from West Tambaram, Chennai.
According to the police, as the electric motor fitted in the sump broke down, Greater Chennai Corporation officials informed the service centre of the motor company involved. Subsequently, to remove the damaged motor, one of the workers climbed down into the tank on Monday.
He immediately suffered from severe breathlessness due to toxic gas exposure, and seeing this, another worker entered the sump to rescue him but was also overcome by the poisonous fumes.
Witnessing this, the third worker raised an alarm and, hearing his cries, residents rushed to the scene and notified the Fire and Rescue Services department and the police.
The firefighters recovered the bodies of both workers and sent them to Government Stanley Hospital for an autopsy.
Kodungaiyur police have registered a case and are investigating. PTI SNR SNR KH
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