Three sanitation workers died after inhaling toxic fumes while cleaning a choked sewerage line in Surjani Town on Friday evening, police and rescuers said.
An incident in Sector 36-A near Aqsa Masjid, was reported by Area SHO Sohail Khaskheli, that three private sanitation workers lost their lives while cleaning a gutter line.
They were hired by the local government officer to carry out the cleaning operation, as per the initial reports.
It was disclosed by the spokesperson of Rescue 1122, Hassaan Ul Haseeb Khan, that the sequence of events began when two workers first made their way into the manhole.
Soon after stepping down, both workers lost consciousness due to the presence of toxic gases.
Witnessing this, the third worker made an attempt to rescue his fellow co-workers but was also became a prey to the toxic fumes and passed out inside the manhole.
A quick alarm was raised to the rescue authorities by the local residents, resulting in an immediate response.
Rescue teams, along with volunteers from the Edhi Foundation and Chhippa Welfare Association, rushed to the scene and launched a rescue operation to pull out the trapped workers.
One of the volunteer also fell into the manhole during the operation, after being affected by the toxic environment.
Fortunately, he was expeditiously pulled out and given first aid on the spot, to avoid the further loss of life.
All three sanitation workers were declared dead due to the inhalation of poisonous and toxic gases, despite sustained rescue efforts.
To complete medico-legal formalities, their bodies were transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital after being recovered.
SHO Khaskheli identified the deceased as Wilson, Waqas, and Nazeer, noting that all three belonged to the Christian community.
The incident has raised serious concerns about safety measures and the lack of protective gear for sanitation workers. It also shows the need for stricter rules and better enforcement to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Also Read: Lahore: Body of 10 month old Rida Fatima recovered from sewer, confirms Rescue 1122
