Two Coimbatore Corporation contract workers die after falling into sewage tank during repair work

Two Coimbatore Corporation workers die after falling into a sewage tank during repair work in Saibaba Colony.

Two contract workers of the Coimbatore Corporation died after falling into a sewage pumping station tank during repair work at Saibaba Colony in the city on Friday.

The police sources said that the incident occurred around 4.30 p.m. at the Bharathi Park 1st Street pumping station in Ward 69, where a faulty 60 HP motor pump installed about 15 feet deep inside the underground sewage tank was being replaced.

G. Arjun Kumar (38), a contract plumber, and S. Suresh (27), a contract electrician, had descended into the tank using a crane along with the motor pump to carry out the replacement work. After fixing the motor, they were climbing up from a depth of about 15 feet when Arjun Kumar reportedly hit a pipe inside the tank and slipped, falling into the sewage. Suresh Kumar, who was with him, also fell into the tank.

The tank measures about 15 feet in diameter and 40 feet in depth. Both men are believed to be trapped inside.

Coimbatore Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabakaran said the sewage inflow into the tank remained continuous, posing a challenge to the rescue operation. “We are pumping out as much sewage as possible. Only after the tank is fully dewatered can the bodies be retrieved,” he said. He added that the inflow is expected to reduce during the night as household water usage declines. The exact sequence leading to the fall would be ascertained after a detailed inquiry, he added.

Fire and Rescue Services personnel, along with Corporation officials, continued efforts to pump out the sewage, with operations under way past 11 p.m.