Kundara: Four labourers choked to death in a deep well at Kovilmukku locality, near here, in Kerala's Kollam district.
They had entered the newly dug well on Thursday morning to remove silt. A house is under construction on the same plot.
The Fire Force stated lack of oxygen, especially at the bottom, led to the tragedy. As per the early assessment, it was feared the well-cleaners had inhaled toxic gas.
A member of the Fire and Rescue Department collapsed at the site as the crew was trying to extricate the trapped labourers.
The dead are: Somarajan (54), Rajan (35), Manoj (32) and Sivaprasad (24).
The bodies are now kept at the morgue of the Kollam District Hospital.
Somarajan was a native of Chirakonnam. Rajan hailed from Ilambur and the other two were from Kuripally.
The Fire and Rescue Department has ordered for burying the well.
