Seven workers died of asphyxiation while nine others were taken ill today after inhaling toxic gas in a tank containing untreated effluents at a textile dyeing factory at nearby Perundurai.
The injured have been admitted to a government hospital where the condition of four of them was stated to be serious, police said.
The tragedy occurred when a group of workers were engaged in repair work of a motor near the tank at the factory in the SIPCOT Industrial Growth Centre, 25 km from here.
Initially, two workers accidentally fell into the tank. Several other colleagues jumped into the tank to rescue them.
However, several of them swooned after inhaling the toxic gas. Seven of them, in the age group of 21-35, died on the spot while nine others were rescued by fellow workers and fire and rescue service personnel.
