Three contract workers die of asphyxiation at Tata Electronics plant in Hosur
The workers were cleaning an effluent treatment plant tank when they allegedly inhaled toxic gas in Tamil Nadu's Krishnagiri district.
Three contract workers died of suspected asphyxiation on Monday evening while cleaning an effluent treatment plant (ETP) at the Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL) facility in Hosur, according to reports by Deccan Herald, Mint and The New Indian Express.
The incident occurred near Uddanapalli in Krishnagiri district while the workers were clearing sludge or inspecting a nano-filtration tank. District Collector C Dinesh Kumar said the workers were part of a team engaged by Nalco Water, an Ecolab company, to perform maintenance work.
The deceased have been identified as B Akmal, 28, of Thinnur village; P Kaveri, 32, of Hanumanthapuram; and M Sarathikumar, 25, of Belrampatti, all from Dharmapuri district. They were rushed to a private hospital in Hosur but were declared dead.
Collector Dinesh Kumar stated that there were no proper safety measures in place while handling the ETP and confirmed that an inquiry is being conducted. He noted that one worker fainted after looking into the tank, after which two others also collapsed while attempting to assist.
Tamil Nadu industries minister stated on X that the incident will be investigated and appropriate action will be taken. While Tata Electronics and Nalco Water did not respond to requests for comment, authorities in Tamil Nadu and the companies are investigating the deaths.
The bodies have been moved to the Government Medical College Hospital in Krishnagiri for postmortem. Police said the cause of death may be confirmed following the final report.