A steel arch collapsed at the Ennore Thermal Power Station construction site on Tuesday in Tamil Nadu's Thiruvallur district, leaving nine migrant workers dead.
Recounting the horror, one of the workers said to the media, "I am new here. I don't know the name of that part (the arch) very well. But it was the middle connection. Suddenly, there was a noise, and that middle part fell out, and then everything else just collapsed."
The nine workers who lost their lives at the construction site hailed from Assam. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that his government is coordinating with the authorities in Tamil Nadu to bring back the mortal remains of the nine migrants who succumbed to death after they fell from the construction site at Minjur, Thiruvallur district.
He took to his X account, saying, "9 migrant workers from Assam have reportedly succumbed to death after falling down at a construction site at Minjur, Thiruvallur district, today, while carrying out construction works for the extension of North Chennai Thermal Power Station."
Adding, "4 of the victims are from Karbi Anglong district and 5 from Hojai district. We are coordinating with authorities in Tamil Nadu to bring back their mortal remains at the earliest."
CM Sarma also identified the victims: Munna Kemprai, Sorbojit Thausen, Phaibit Fanglu, Bidayum Porbosa, Paban Sorong, Prayanto Sorong, Suman Kharikap, Dimaraj Thousen, and Deepak Raijung. He said, "My deepest condolences to their families and well-wishers."
Before this, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the victims' families of the Ennore Plant collapse. He also took to X, expressing his sorrow over the death of the workers while extending his condolences to the families.
Stalin posted, "I was deeply saddened to hear the news that nine workers from the state of Assam lost their lives in an accident that occurred during the construction work of the power plant being carried out at #BHEL company in Ennore. I convey my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives...I have also ordered that a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs each be provided to the families of the deceased workers, and that measures be taken to transport their bodies to their home state."
He also stated that the State Electricity Minister and the Chairman of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) have been instructed to visit the site and oversee the relief work.
The exact cause of the accident is not yet known, and the authorities are investigating the matter.