Two men, including an engineer, died after inhaling toxic gas inside a 20-foot-deep stormwater drainage sump maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation in Kodungaiyur, Chennai, prompting concerns over safety procedures during civic maintenance work.
The incident occurred on Monday at the sump on Thendral Nagar Third Street, where workers were repairing an electric motor. The sump collects excess rainwater from a stormwater channel and pumps it out using two electric motors.
The deceased were identified as Asmath Basha, 38, an engineer from Vellore district, and Naveen Kumar, 34, a resident of West Tambaram. Both were employed by Savariya Motors, a private firm contracted by the Corporation to repair the motor.
According to the police, Naveen Kumar entered the sump at around 3 p.m. to attend to a faulty motor and fell unconscious. Basha then entered the sump in an attempt to rescue him. Both men were asphyxiated after inhaling the toxic gas, the police said.
A Greater Chennai Corporation official said the workers appeared to have entered the sump without adequate protective equipment. The official said the sump should have been opened and ventilated for about 30 minutes before anyone entered it. The official also said a chain mechanism could have been used to lift the motor out for repairs, avoiding the need for workers to enter the confined space.
The contractor had not informed the authorities before beginning the repair work, according to the GCC official. The local assistant engineer was also unable to explain why the chain mechanism had not been used, the report said.
The deaths have brought renewed attention to the risks faced by workers carrying out maintenance in stormwater infrastructure and other confined civic spaces. Such sumps can accumulate toxic gases, making ventilation, protective equipment and established entry procedures important before repair work begins.
G. Shanthakumari, chairperson of the GCC Standing Committee on Public Health, stressed the need for proper ventilation, protective equipment and safety procedures before workers undertake repairs in confined spaces where toxic gases may accumulate.
The incident also raises questions about how municipal contractors are supervised during maintenance work and whether available mechanised equipment is being used to reduce worker entry into hazardous infrastructure. The GCC official’s account indicates that both pre-entry ventilation and a motor-lifting chain mechanism were available safety measures in this case.
The reported failure to notify authorities before the repair and the absence of a clear explanation for not using the chain mechanism remain central to the safety concerns surrounding the deaths. The Corporation’s response, including any examination of contractor compliance and maintenance procedures, will determine the next steps.
