Nine migrant workers from Assam lost their lives and at least 10 others sustained injuries on Tuesday when scaffolding collapsed at the Ennore Special Economic Zone thermal power project construction site near Ponneri in North Chennai. The workers were building a concrete arch over 20 feet above the ground when the metal scaffolding suddenly gave way, causing them to plunge nearly 30 feet. Fellow workers and rescue teams rushed the injured to Stanley Government Hospital, but nine succumbed to their injuries on the way. One worker remains in hospital with serious injuries.
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Scaffolding Collapse at Chennai Power Plant Claims Lives of Nine Migrant Workers
The incident took place at the North Chennai Thermal Power Station expansion project, where Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) serves as the main contractor. J Radhakrishnan, Chairman and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO), confirmed that the collapse killed nine workers and injured one. He visited Stanley Hospital to meet the injured worker.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that all nine victims hailed from Assam — four from Karbi Anglong and five from Hojai districts. He said the Assam government is coordinating with Tamil Nadu authorities to bring back the bodies. Authorities identified the deceased as Munna Kemprai, Sorbojit Thausen, Phaibit Fanglu, Bidayum Porbosa, Paban Sorong, Prayanto Sorong, Suman Kharikap, Dimaraj Thousen, and Dipak Raijung.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin offered his condolences and announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for each victim’s family. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his sympathies and announced ex gratia payments of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured.
Police from the Avadi Commissionerate launched an investigation to determine the cause of the scaffolding collapse. More than 10 workers sustained serious injuries. The Kattur police registered a case and sealed off the site for structural inspections.
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