Nine die from carbon monoxide poisoning in Pishin

Six children, three women die in their sleep after inhaling toxic fumes from electric generator

QUETTA: At least six children and three women died in their sleep after inhaling carbon monoxide emitted from an electricity generator installed in their room in Pishin district of Balochistan.

The incident took place in the Killi Karbala area of Pishin district and the victims are said to have died from asphyxia, a condition of severely deficient supply of oxygen to the body.

Habibullah Nasir, a local Levies official, told The Express Tribune that there was no supply of electricity in the district and the generator was placed near the bathroom of the room where the victims were asleep.

"Due to the leakage of gas, the room filled with poisonous fumes, and caused the deaths of nine people," he added.

The deceased women were identified as Bibi Zaida, wife of Qari Zahir, Bibi Zainab, wife of Mohammed Ismail and Shakira, wife of Gulbadin.

Brothers Zubair Shah, 6, and Zoaib Shah, 3, who were Shakira's children, also died in the incident.

Sisters, Tanzala,3, and Laiba,6, Bibi Zaida's children, also passed away along with their mother.

Sisters Saqiba, 14, and Fatima, 2, Bibi Zainab's daughters, also passed away.

Levies officials reached the site soon after being informed about the tragic incident. The bodies were handed over to their families in Karbala Tehsil.  The owner of the house, victim Bibi Zaida's husband, Qari Abdul Zahir, was in Karachi, where he owns a hotel.

Pishin is located around 43 kilometres north of Quetta. Massive power outages are a common occurrence in Balochistan, where electricity is available merely two to three hours a day due to which many use power generators.

The area where the incident took place was without electricity for the past few days, residents said. “The shortage of electricity and gas is a huge issue in Pishin, which is why people use other means for electricity and gas supply,” Habibullah Nasir, the Levies Official said.

Dozens of people die of asphyxia every year in Balochistan, particularly in northern and uplands of the province, during the winter season as people often forget to turn off heaters before going to bed.