Chennai: A 21-year-old worker died while another suffered injuries in an accident during demolition works at the fire ravaged Chennai Silks building on Usman Road, T Nagar, on Saturday evening.
The deceased worker was identified as Sarath Kumar, a native of Krishnagiri, while the injured worker was identified as Govindhan, police said.
The accident happened at 3.20 pm. Three hydraulic crawlers attached with jaw cutters were at work when one of the machines got stuck. Sarath Kumar was attending to a leakage in the machine standing over it when the machine was lowered by about five feet.
He got caught in the boom of another crane, which also came down and got crushed under the machine and the debris from the first floor. He was recovered from the debris by the fire and rescue services personnel there.
"There were about 100 workers in the site at the time of the incident. Ambulances were also on standby," an official of fire and rescue services said.
Sarath Kumar was moved to the Government Royapettah Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. Family of the deceased are expected to reach the city late in the night after which autopsy would be conducted, police said.
Police have registered a case and are investigating. Demolition of the fire ravaged Chennai Silks building began on June 2 after the fire which broke out on May 31 continued for over 30 hours bringing a portion of the building down.
Incidentally, no casualties were reported during the major fire and all workers stranded in the building were rescued. After Saturday's accident, works were suspended for the day.
