Quarry Tragedy in Andhra Six Migrant Workers Crushed in Deadly Collapse

Six lives were lost in a harrowing quarry accident in Andhra Pradesh’s Chimakurthy town on Friday, after a massive landslide struck a granite excavation site, trapping a group of migrant workers beneath tonnes of rock and debris.

The workers, hailing from Odisha and Chhattisgarh, were on their routine shift when a steep portion of the granite wall gave way without warning. Eyewitnesses reported hearing a thunderous rumble before clouds of dust engulfed the area, bringing operations to a screeching halt.

Rescue teams from the local police, fire department, and disaster response forces were rushed to the scene, but recovery was hampered by unstable ground and the sheer volume of granite slabs that had collapsed. After hours of combing through the rubble, all six bodies were retrieved. Two others suffered injuries and were shifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Initial investigations suggest that unauthorised deep-cutting practices and neglect of safety protocols might have contributed to the collapse. Quarrying in Chimakurthy, which is known for its premium “black galaxy” granite, has long drawn concern over unsafe working conditions and exploitation of migrant labourers.

The state government has ordered a probe into the incident and announced a compensation of ₹10 lakh for the families of the deceased. But for many, the announcement rings hollow. Locals say this isn’t the first time such a tragedy has occurred—and unless stricter regulation is enforced, it won’t be the last.

“The quarry owners keep pushing workers to go deeper and faster. Safety is always an afterthought,” said a fellow worker at the site, requesting anonymity.

As families in faraway villages mourn their dead, the tragedy has once again exposed the darker underbelly of India’s booming granite export industry—one built, far too often, on the bones of the forgotten.