Chennai: A 37-year-old contract worker was buried alive when one side of a 10ft-deep pit caved in during sewage work at Gramam Street in Thiruvottiyur early Saturday.The deceased, Bhoominathan of Tiruvannamalai district, was among four workers digging a sewage tank meant for four houses in the locality.Around 4am, Bhoominathan was inside the pit, removing soil with a shovel when the earth from one side collapsed on him. The other workers alerted police and fire and rescue services.Fire personnel and local residents took about two and a half hours to clear the soil and recover Bhoominathan’s body. Police said he had died before the rescue team could reach him. The body was sent to Government Stanley Hospital for postmortem. Thiruvottiyur police registered a case and questioned the other workers. Further investigation is underway.
