One person died and eight others were injured after the roof of an Indian Oil petrol pump on East Jones Road in Saidapet collapsed on Friday, September 29. The incident took place around 7 pm, and the police and firefighters rushed to the spot immediately. The deceased person, Kandasamy, was employed at the bunk. The injured were rushed to the Saidapet, Guindy, and Royapettah government hospitals. Two people who injured their spinal cord are in critical condition. 

Health Minister Ma Subramanian, who is also the MLA of the Saidapet constituency, visited the accident site and told media persons that the police and fire departments have used cranes to confirm no more people are stuck under the collapsed roof. He also said that using electrical or manual cutters for rescue operations could make the situation worse if used improperly in this situation, due to the highly inflammatory nature of petrol. 

The bunk has been in operation for about 17 years and it was supported by only two pillars. The minister said all necessary actions will be undertaken and that the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) has been intimated.

Though the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted light to moderate levels of rain in the region, there was an unexpectedly heavy downpour on Friday that left several commuters stranded and rushing to take shelter under the petrol pump. A majority of the people are safe, though many vehicles have been damaged. 

“We were able to rescue four people from the collapsed area with the help of an air lifting bag. They were immediately rushed to the hospital,” said District Fire Officer (South) Robin Castro. Mahesh Kumar, Deputy Mayor of the Chennai Corporation, said an investigation would be launched to find out how and why the accident happened.