Two men lost their lives due to asphyxia while cleaning an aluminium chloride tanker truck at a service station in Erode district. They were overwhelmed by toxic gas and lost consciousness inside the tanker, resulting in two fatalities and one individual in critical condition. An investigation is underway.

ERODE: Two men tragically died from asphyxia while cleaning an aluminium chloride-laden tanker truck at a water service station near Bhavani in Erode district on Sunday. The victims were identified as 28-year-old Yuvanandha Vel and 32-year-old V Chandran, both from Chithode.
The tanker, which had transported aluminium chloride—a chemical used for treating dye wastewater—was brought from Hyderabad to a dyeing facility in Tirupur. After unloading the chemical in Tirupur, the empty tanker was taken to the Dharani Service Station near Chithode for cleaning.
While cleaning the tanker, service station employees Yuvanandha Vel, Chandran, and 40-year-old M Sellappan entered the tank. “Suddenly, they were overwhelmed by toxic gas and lost consciousness inside the tanker,” reported a police official from Chithode police station.
Nearby individuals managed to rescue the three and rushed them to Bhavani Government Hospital for medical attention. Upon examination, doctors confirmed that Yuvanandha Vel and Chandran had died, while Sellappan was in critical condition and required hospitalization.
The bodies of the deceased were later sent to Erode Government Medical College and Hospital in Perundurai for autopsy. The Chithode police have opened an investigation into the incident.