Chennai, Oct 1 Police have registered a case against the contractor of an under-construction building at Tamil Nadu's Ennore Thermal Power Station (ETPS) after a massive collapse on Monday evening killed nine migrant workers from Assam and left one injured.
An FIR has been filed under relevant sections, and investigators are examining safety lapses and design flaws that may have caused the tragedy.
According to a senior officer at Kattur Police Station, the incident occurred when a steel structure about 45 metres high — part of the new coal handling unit being built under a Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) contract — suddenly gave way.
“Ten people fell from that height when the base they were standing on collapsed. Nine were brought dead to the Government Royapettah Stanley Hospital, while one person is under treatment,” said K. Radhakrishnan, Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each deceased worker. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also condoled the deaths and directed Electricity Minister S.S. Sivasankar and TANGEDCO chief Radhakrishnan to personally supervise relief and rescue operations at the accident site.
Stalin announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for each bereaved family.
Officials said the migrant labourers were working under the steel framework when it crashed without warning. Emergency services rushed to the spot to clear debris and rescue the trapped workers. The site has been sealed for a thorough safety audit while technical teams assess whether faulty engineering or negligence contributed to the collapse.
The tragedy sparked political reactions across Tamil Nadu. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami and Tamil Nadu Congress Committee President K. Selvaperunthagai expressed condolences and demanded strict action against those responsible.
Investigators said further charges could be added once safety compliance reviews and accountability checks are complete.
The surviving worker remains under medical supervision and is reportedly stable.
The incident has reignited concerns about workplace safety for migrant labourers in the state’s industrial projects.
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