CHENNAI: A 24-year-old guest worker from Odisha died while four others fell unconscious when they were cleaning a water tank at an ethanol unit near Gummidipoondi in Tiruvallur district on Monday.

The deceased, identified as M Dananth Jaya Malik, was employed at an ethanol manufacturing unit located inside Sipcot Industrial Estate in Thervoy Kandigai near Gummidipoondi. On Monday, Malik, along with Sagar Das, Subrath Kumar, Mano Rangan Das (all from Odisha), and supervisor P Mullai Vendhan of Thandalam village, were engaged in routine maintenance work when the incident happened.

When the workers entered the tank for cleaning, they were allegedly hit by noxious gases and fainted, after which other co-workers rescued and moved them to a private hospital.

Malik, who was in critical condition, died while being shifted to a private hospital in Chennai for further treatment. The other four workers are undergoing treatment at Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and are stated to be stable.

Pathirivedu police moved Malik's body to Government Stanley Medical College Hospital for autopsy. A case has been registered and further investigation is under way.