Kochi: Four persons, including a sub-contractor and a migrant labourer, were feared killed and two others injured after huge rock blocks caved in following overnight rain in a century-old quarry in Vengola panchayat in Perumbavoor on Tuesday morning.
The mishap happened at 8.40 a.m. when the three workers along with sub-contractor Eroth Santosh, 42, a native of Valayancherangara, were digging up the ground before the stone quarrying works.
The impact was such that tippers and JCBs got smashed. The JCB operators  Raju of Piravom Maneed and Sheebu from Orissa were thrown up in the air along with the machines. They were rushed to  hospital with serious injuries while the others were trapped under debris.
The trapped labourers were identified as Cheruvarakudy Vijayan, 47, a native of Valayancherangara, Ramakanta Patamaji, a migrant labourer from Orissa, and Kallarackal Mohanan from Nellad.
Tragedy strikes 50-yr-old quarry

Rescue operations progressing at the quarry in Vengola where huge rock blocks caved in on Tuesday morning.
 
Kochi: The Vengola quarry was in operation for over 50 years and the successive owners failed to adhere to safety practices from time to time.
 
“The quarry was functional even when I was a child. The undercutting (when rocks are cut out from below, suspending the top portion) was indulged by the previous owners when the safety guidelines were not in place. Further there was a crack inside the rock mountain which the workers didn’t anticipate,” said P.A. Abubeckar, All Kerala Crusher Owners Association President.
 
A local resident, Aji Kumar, said they reached the spot hearing an unusual loud noise. “The reports said that there were two tipper Lorries, a JCB and a crusher. One of the tipper Lorries is still immersed in the debris.
 
Santosh, the sub-contractor, reportedly was working along with his employees as one of the workers didn’t turn up. His car is still there and he is feared trapped in the debris. We’re yet to inform his family which consist of two small children, his wife and his aged father.”
 
The Pachayat President, M.M. Avaran, said, “We’d asked not to use explosives though they had obtained a license for the same. Now that the mishap has happened, we’ll study the exact causes and make a strict guideline for quarries in the region.”

Sabu still shocked after lucky escape
Kochi: The five always worked together in the Vengola quarry. But for V.Sabu, it was a moment which robbed him of thoughts or words. He did not know whether to thank the almighty for his lucky escape or rue the fate that snatched away his co-workers and employer.
On the eve of the fateful day, Sabu sought the permission of his boss Santosh, who is also believed to be trapped inside the debris, to arrive a little late for duty. The reason was that, it was his grandson Rahul’s birthday.
The birthday celebrations had just started when news of the rocks caving in trickled in.
“I had stayed back just to be part of my grandson’s birthday celebrations. But Santosh had himself gone to the site as I’d told him that I would be late. Now I feel I’m alone in this world”, said Sabu viewing the devastation at the site.