Toxic fumes of pesticides used by a family to control bedbugs killed a child and sickened her siblings and their mother in the Mahmoodabad area of Karachi on Thursday.
According to police, a man, named Shehzad, brought some pesticides to get rid of bedbugs at his flat, located in a residential building adjacent to Benazir Girls College in the Azam Basti area of Mehmoodabad.
The pesticides released toxic fumes which filled the poorly-ventilated flat and as a result four-year-old girl died on the spot while the rest of the family, including her four siblings and mother, became sick, police said. Shehzad had left the house for work in the morning while the family was asleep.
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As soon as the incident was reported by neighbours, police and rescuers reached the site and shifted the family to Jinnah Hospital. The dead was identified as Rachel, while her sick siblings are Christina, Fristina, Peterson, and Israel. Two of the sick children are stated to be in a critical condition.
Police said that they thoroughly inspected the flat, especially the kitchen, because earlier there were reports that the tragic incident might have happened due to leakage of natural gas. Police said that they have not found any such evidence. Further investigations are in progress.
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