CHENNAI: One migrant worker died and 49 others were injured after a staircase handrail collapsed at a temporary workers' accommodation in Nandambakkam on Sunday night (May 31), when hundreds of labourers gathered to watch the high-voltage Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Gujarat Titans and crowded onto a staircase ramp.
The IPL final, played in Ahmedabad on Sunday night, had generated massive interest among cricket fans across the country. At the Nandambakkam facility, where migrant workers employed by construction giant L&T were housed, large numbers of workers watched the match live on mobile phones and tablets.
According to police, more than 100 workers had crowded onto one section of an iron staircase and were leaning against the handrail while cheering for their teams. Unable to bear the weight, the railing reportedly gave way, causing more than 40 workers to fall from a height of about 15 feet and land on top of one another.
Local residents and fellow workers immediately launched rescue efforts and alerted the Nandambakkam police.
Police and emergency personnel rushed to the spot and shifted 26 injured workers to Government Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital in Guindy and 22 others to Sri Ramachandra Medical Centre in Porur for treatment.
Among the injured was 31-year-old Brinji Manjhi from Jharkhand, who sustained critical injuries and was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. He succumbed to his injuries early Monday despite treatment.
Officials said the remaining 48 injured workers undergoing treatment at the Guindy and Porur hospitals have crossed the danger stage and are expected to recover.
The Nandambakkam police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.