Three die of asphyxiation in hotel sump

Fire service sources told DT Next that the sump remained uncleaned for ‘several years’ and had less than 12 inches of water when the accident took place. Fire service personnel, with oxygen cylinders and masks, entered the sump to retrieve the bodies. Water in the sump looked very blackish, indicating contamination with drainage. 

Three workers, Ramakrishnan (22), Vinay (20) and Satheesh (21) died one after the other trying to enter the sump around 1.45 pm. Two units of fire service from Vyasarpadi and Sembium rushed to the spot. 

“We dropped a lamp inside the sump and before we could reach one foot it went off. We tried three times and the result was same, showing that the sump was filled with poisonous gas with no oxygen,” Ganesan, a fire service man, told DT Next. 

Doctors tried to resuscitate the victims after they were pulled up with ropes. The bodies were later taken to Kilpauk Medical College.