Four cleaning septic tank die of asphyxiation in Tamil Nadu

TUTICORIN: Four youths died of asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank at a house in Keela Chekkarakudi village in Tuticorin district on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as Pandi, 24, Isakiraja, 20, Bala, 23, and Dinesh, 20.
All were from Veeravanallur in Tirunelveli district. They were cleaning a septic tank at the house of A Somasundaram, 65, of North Street in Keela Chekkarakudi. “They had cleaned the septic tank twice and emptied the load,” Srivaikuntam station fire officer (SFO) T Muthukumar told TOI.
Preliminary inquiries revealed that the asphyxiation happened around noon during the third round of cleaning. “One of them fainted. The others entered the tank one after the other to rescue him,” the SFO said.
The trio rescued the man, who died en route to the hospital. The three who rescued him died in the septic tank. On receiving information, the Thattaparai police and fire and rescue services personnel form the Srivaikuntam station 27km away rushed to the spot.