Three workers die of suffocation from generator fumes

KARACHI: Three workers, including two men from the same family, died on Sunday night due to suffocation from the generator fumes in a factory located in Shah Faisal Colony. The factory has now been sealed since it is located in a residential area.

The three victims were affected by the generator fumes at a computerised embroidery factory near Nadir Shah Park in Shah Faisal Colony. They were immediately taken to the hospital where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival.



Shah Faisal Colony SHO Tanvir Hussain said that the deceased were identified as Raza, aged 17, son of Rafiq, Arsalan, aged 20, son of Aslam, and Rizwan, aged 32, son of Akram. The deceased, Arsalan and Akram were relatives. According to the SHO, Raza was a resident of Shah Faisal Colony No. 3 while Arsalan and Rizwan were residents of Malir Railway Colony. Hussain said that the workers left the generator on overnight because of power shutdowns due to rainfall in the city. They died of suffocation when fumes from the generator accumulated in the factory. According to police, the deaths had initially been termed as accidental but authorities are investigating other possible causes. Relatives of Arsalan and Rizwan reported that both of them had started working in the factory only 15 days ago and Sunday night had been their first night shift. They said that Rizwan was a father of one.

Shah Faisal Colony Assistant Commissioner reached the factory after the incident. He said that the factory has been sealed as it is constructed in a residential area.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2018.