Tamil Nadu: 5 workers died due to rock collapse in stone quarry

Tamil Nadu : Five labourers were killed in a rock fall at a private stone quarry near Singampunari in Sivaganga district on Tuesday. There is a privately owned stone quarry at Mallakottai village next to S.S. Fort. The labourers were working in a 150-foot deep portion of the quarry on Tuesday when the rocks suddenly fell and trapped them. On receiving the information, fire and rescue teams from Tirupattur and Singampunari rushed to the spot and started removing the labourers trapped under the rocks. However, five persons Ganesh (45), Muruganandam (47), Arumugam (53), Arijeet (28) and Andichamy (52) died after getting trapped under the rocks. The bodies of four of them have been recovered while the fire department is still working to recover the body of bogie driver Arijeet from Odisha. Michael (47) from Thoothukudi district, who was seriously injured in the incident, has been admitted to the Sivaganga Government Medical College Hospital.

Tamil Nadu Cooperation Minister K.R. Periyakaruppan visited the spot and inspected it. He told reporters that rescue operations were being carried out intensively.

He was accompanied by Sivaganga District Collector Asha Ajith and Superintendent of Police Ashishravath during the inspection.

In this situation, officials said that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) from Tirunelveli will arrive to carry out the rescue operation. The police did not allow any common man to enter the mine area where the accident took place. This led to an argument between the police and the people.

The SS Fort police have registered a case in connection with the accident and are investigating.