Two die of asphyxiation while cleaning acid tanker lorry

Chellappan, 52, of Ramanathapuram near Bhavani was engaged in cleaning the tanker, by covering his face with a handkerchief, police said. After cleaning for about 30 minutes, he swooned. Noticing this, Yuvendavel, 45 along with Chandran, 54 went to his rescue but without wearing any safety equipment and fell unconscious too.

Representative image of acid

Credit: iStock Photo

Erode: Two persons died on the spot due to asphyxiation while cleaning an acid tanker lorry near here on Sunday, police said.

Yuvendavel, 45, of Konaivakkal runs a Service station near Chitode for cleaning lorries and buses. On Sunday morning somebody brought an acid tanker lorry there for cleaning. Chellappan, 52, of Ramanathapuram near Bhavani was engaged in cleaning the tanker, by covering his face with a handkerchief, police said.

After cleaning for about 30 minutes, he swooned due to the severity of the acrid smell and stains. Noticing this, the owner of the Service Station Yuvendavel along with Chandran, 54 went to his rescue and shifted the swooned person from the tanker without wearing any safety equipment.

Both of them fell unconscious too. The Service Station workers and the public shifted them to the Government Hospital in Bhavani where the Doctors declared Yuvendavel and Chandran dead.

Chellappan is being treated. Chitode police rushed to the spot and registered a case.