Crashing rocks crush 5 to death at Sivaganga quarry

SIVAGANGA: Five people died and two were injured when rocks caved in all of a sudden at a stone quarry site in the district on Tuesday, police said.

Expressing shock and grief over the tragic death of five workers at the private stone quarry site in Mallakottai village, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the victims and Rs 1 lakh to the injured undergoing treatment in the hospital from out of the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund.

The victims, mostly workers, were trapped under the debris at the quarry site in Mallakottai near Singampunari in the district. The bodies of three people were extricated by the police and fire and rescue service personnel after clearing the stones.

Two persons succumbed on the way to the hospital, while two others who were critically injured have been admitted to a hospital in Madurai, police added.

The deceased have been identified as Muruganandam, Arumugam, Ganesan, and Andichami, from the state, and Harshith from Odisha.

The investigation was underway to ascertain if overnight rain or explosives used by the workers had triggered the collapse.

Expressing his deepest condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families, Stalin, immediately after receiving information about the accident, got in touch with the district collector Asha Ajith and asked her to expedite the rescue operation.

Also, he told the state Cooperatives Minister, KR Periyakaruppan, to visit the site and oversee the rescue activity.

The health officials have been directed to provide sophisticated treatment to those admitted to the hospital, an official release quoting the CM said.

After visiting the accident spot, Periyakaruppan said trained personnel would be engaged to check if any other worker was buried under the stones.

Superintendent of Police Ashish Rawat was also involved in the rescue activity.