Six workers die at water treatment plant after inhaling carbon monoxide

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KOTA KINABALU: Six Filipino workers died after inhaling carbon monoxide gas while cleaning a tank at the Kampung Lawa water treatment plant in Beaufort, about 120km from here, yesterday.The dead were identified as Wahab, 30, Mus, 25, Ajin, 20, Ramujil, 18, Anuar, 17, and Baisal, 16.

State Fire and Rescue Department director Khairuddin Drahman in confirming the incident, said the Beaufort station had sent a rescue team to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 7.43pm.

It is learnt that two of the workers had entered the filtering tank at about 2pm to do cleaning work and then four more when the two failed to emerge.

All six who were overcome by the poisonous gas were later found unconscious by the rescue team.

Khairuddin said the first victim was removed from the tank at 11.05pm and the last at midnight.

All the bodies were sent to Beaufort Hospital.

Khairuddin said the six were believed to have died after inhaling carbon monoxide fumes emitted by the generator used in the cleaning work. — Bernama