A 37-year-old contract worker died after being buried alive when the side of a 10-foot-deep pit caved in during underground sewage work at Gramam Street in Thiruvottriyur on Saturday.The police identified the deceased as Bhoominathan, a native of Tiruvannamalai district. He was one of four workers engaged in digging the pit for an underground sewage tank.Around 4 a.m., Bhoominathan was inside the pit, removing soil with a shovel, when the earth on one side suddenly collapsed and buried him.The other workers immediately alerted the police and Fire and Rescue Services personnel.Firefighters, with the help of local residents, cleared the debris and recovered Bhoominathan’s body after a two-and-a-half-hour rescue operation. The police said Bhoominathan had died before the rescue team could reach him.His body was sent to Government Stanley Hospital for post-mortem examination. The police questioned the other workers who were engaged in the excavation work.A preliminary inquiry revealed that the work was being carried out for four houses in the locality. A case has been registered and further investigation is under way. Published - August 22, 2026 08:00 pm IST