Tragedy Strikes: Ennore Thermal Power Project Mishap Claims Nine Lives

In a tragic incident at the Ennore Thermal Power Project on Tuesday, nine workers lost their lives when a roof collapsed at the construction site near Ponneri, Chennai. The workers, all hailing from Assam, were immediately sent for postmortem at Stanley Government Hospital, with their bodies later moved to Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital for embalming before being returned to their native places.

The Tamil Nadu Health Minister, Ma Subramanian, confirmed the accident occurred around 5:45 pm, resulting in the death of all nine workers. One worker, who sustained leg injuries, remains in stable condition at Stanley Government Hospital and is expected to be discharged soon. Meanwhile, the Kattur Police have registered a case against three contractors, invoking sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and launched an investigation into the incident.

The tragedy prompted a visit from Tamil Nadu Electricity Minister SS Sivashankar and officials, who expressed condolences and pledged governmental support. The state has announced a financial aid of Rs 10 lakh for each deceased worker's family and a review of safety protocols at the project site. The contract company is coordinating the return of the embalmed bodies to Assam, as the investigation continues.

(With inputs from agencies.)