Chhatarpur (Mdhya Pradesh): At least two labourers died and three others took ill apparently due to a dip in the oxygen level caused by a coal stove used by them to keep their unventilated room warm in Madhya Pradesh's Chhatarpur district, an official said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred at a distillery unit in Naugaon town, around 25 km from the Chhatarpur district headquarters, he said.
All the five labourers hailed from Bihar and were living in the room without ventilation, he said.
Police received information at around 10:30 AM on Tuesday that five labourers were not opening the door of their room, said Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) P Chanchles Markam.
"A police team had to break open the door to gain entry inside the room. All five labourers were found lying unconscious. They were rushed to a hospital where two of them were declared dead while three others were referred to Chhatarpur for further treatment," he said.
Prima facie, the duo died of suffocation as there was no ventilation in their room and a coal stove was also found which might have lit in the night, he said, adding that further investigation is underway.
Block Medical Officer, Naugaon, Virendra Bhadoria said five persons were brought to the hospital.
"Two of them had died. The exact cause behind their death will become clear after postmortem," he added.
A doctor at the District Hospital said blood oxygen levels of three labourers are found to be very low but their condition is improving now.
