Chennai: After a 12-hour struggle, an Assamese worker was rescued from a cold storage after a huge iron rack gave away and fell on him.
According to the police, the incident took place at KRK Cold Storage, Mettupalayam, Avadi, where imported apples and oranges are preserved.
A rack holds 2,000 tonnes of fruits packed in carton boxes. At 7 pm Monday, a rack fell on four workers identified as Arif (23) from Uttar Pradesh, Jaarol (24) from Assam and brothers Shayadul Haq and Hayadul Haq (21) from Assam.
In half-an-hour after the incident, Arif, Jaarol and Shayadul were rescued by fire and rescue personnel from Avadi and Ambattur.
However, it took 12 hours to save Hayadul who was buried under boxes and iron. “It was challenging as he was under the weight of 2,000 tonnes and it was minus degree temperature in the storage unit. His life was at risk,” a police source said.
By 9.05 am today, the fire and rescue team, using JCB cleared the mound on him and rescued Hayadul. “He only suffered an injury on his leg and is fine,” the police said, and added that he was now undergoing treatment at Poonamallee Government Hospital.