Chennai: In a freak mishap, an engineer and a constable attached to the Railway Protection Force (RPF) died when a faulty 15-feet automatic steel sliding gate collapsed and fell on them at the Integral Coach Factory (ICF) here.
The deceased were identified as ICF senior section engineer S Nargunan (51) and RPF constable A Elakumanan (41).
Sources said an automatic sliding gate at the main entrance of furnishing division had become faulty.
When a truck carrying goods entered the gate, the constable, who was posted near the gate, attempted to close it.
As the wheels of the gate derailed from the track and stood hinged to the pillar, Nargunan and Elakumanan tried to hold the heavy steel gate and push it back. However, the gate collapsed on them, police said.
Both of them were rushed to the ICF hospital where Nargunan was declared brought dead and Elakumanan succumbed to injuries. ICF police have registered a case and are investigating.