The workers collapsed and fell into the pit. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Four workers fainted after inhaling poisonous gas from the septic tank of a private sewage treatment plant at VC Mottur village near Ranipet town on Wednesday.
Police said the affected workers have been identified as S. Ellumalai, 53, V. Ramesh, 43, B. Santhakumar, 37, and Mohammed Imitaz, 31. They are residents of VC Mottur village in the district.
An initial investigation revealed that four workers opened the tank, which is about 10 feet deep, to remove sludge from it. Immediately the workers collapsed and fell into the pit. The incident happened around eight o’clock in the morning
Several employees of the unit and local residents immediately alerted the police and fire brigade, who rushed to the spot. They freed the wedged workers in the tank. The workers have been admitted to Taluk Government Hospital in Walajah where the condition of the workers is stable. “All the four workers have been treated at the hospital. The health condition of the workers is stable,” said S. Usha Nandini, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Government Taluk Hospital, Walajah.
The Ranipet police have registered a Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) case under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and provisions of the Manual Scavengers Prohibition and Rehabilitation Act, 2013. Investigation is on.
Wednesday’s incident took place after three workers fainted after allegedly inhaling poisonous gas from the leather cleaning chamber of a private tannery in Tirupattur’s Vaniyambadi town on February 27.
Published – 04 March 2026 23:18 IST
