Six workers were trapped inside a 250-foot-deep stone quarry at Adaimithippankulam near Munneerpallam in Tirunelveli district after a giant boulder rolled down into the quarry pit on Saturday night.
While the police managed to rescue two workers —Vijay from Nattarkulam and Murugan of Vittilapuram — rescue operation to pull out four others is under way, Inspector General of Police (South Zone), Asra Garg, told The Hindu.
Fire and Rescue services personnel from Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kannaiyakumari districts have been pressed into service.
While a Naval helicopter from Uchipuli came to the accident site on Sunday morning, based on the request from the district administration, the depth of the quarry of Venkateswara Crusher unit was hindering the helicopter’s operation.
Later, the officials sought the help of professional rock-climbers, who managed to rescue the two workers.
According to police sources, three cranes and three trucks were in the quarry pit when the huge boulder came down crashing at around 11.30 p.m.
Loose soil that was holding the rock could have been washed away in the rain leading to the rock rolling down, a police officer said.
Efforts were on to break the rock to rescue the trapped workers, the police said. Tirunelveli district Collector Vishnu and Superintendent of Police P. Saravanan, were at the spot supervising the rescue operation.
