‘Safety lapses’: Three workers die as soil caves in during sewer work in Balod

RAIPUR: Three labourers, including a woman, were buried alive after a deep excavation caved in during sewer line work in Chhattisgarh’s Balod district on Tuesday evening, triggering outrage over alleged safety lapses and sparking protests by families demanding compensation.

The incident occurred in Dallirajhara, where work was underway under a sewerage pipeline project. The deceased have been identified as Kishun Kumar (54), Rakesh Kumar (28) and Baishakhin (50).

According to officials, workers were inside a 10–12 ft deep trench laying pipelines when the soil suddenly caved in, burying them under debris before they could escape. One worker reportedly managed to climb out, while three others were trapped inside.

A rescue operation involving three excavator machines continued for nearly five hours, with bodies finally pulled out around 11pm. By then, all three had died.

Locals alleged that labourers were made to work in hazardous conditions without basic safety measures. “There was no barricading or protective support despite such deep digging,” a resident said, adding that the collapse may have been triggered after a chain mechanism used during pipe installation snapped, causing vibrations.

Soon after the accident, families of the victims, along with members of tribal organisations, staged a protest outside the BSP hospital, demanding compensation of ₹1 crore. The agitation led to tense scenes, with postmortem proceedings reportedly halted as kin refused to accept the bodies.

Local civic body representatives termed the incident a case of “gross negligence” and demanded strict action against those responsible. Dallirajhara municipality chairman Toran Sahu called for accountability and adequate compensation for the bereaved families.

Police, district administration officials and BSP authorities reached the site and have launched an inquiry into the incident. Officials said the probe will examine whether safety protocols were violated and fix responsibility on the contractor and supervising agencies.