Exhaust fumes kills 3 in KZN
Three men have died and five others were taken to hospital after being overcome by exhaust fumes in Zululand.
|||Durban - Three men have died and five others were taken to hospital after being overcome by exhaust fumes.
The men were using a petrol motor while working inside a blocked water pipe in Zululand.
They were clearing a pipe at a dam near Eshowe on Tuesday when the incident occurred.
“Reports from the scene indicate that... to clear the water they used a petrol motor inside the confined area. With a carbon monoxide build-up, the men appeared to have been overcome while still working in the pipe,” Netcare 911 spokesman, Chris Botha, said.
The pipe is at Rudlege Dam, which supplies water to Eshowe, in the uMlalazi Local Municipality.
Botha said provincial EMS paramedics found two people in a serious condition and one had stopped breathing.
“The rescue team also found the two men who were trapped in the water pipe and brought them back up to the surface.
“Tragically, despite all the effort both men died at the scene, bringing the death toll to three,” he said.
Police spokesman, Major Thulani Zwane, said the deceased were between the ages of 30 and 35 and an inquest docket had been opened.
uMlalazi mayor, Thelumoya Zulu, said the workers had been working on the pipes to ensure that they would be in order when the rains returned.
“Two of the workers come from Durban and one is from Ward 9.”
uMlalazi Ward 9 councillor, Mbongiseni Dludla, expressed sadness at the incident.
Dludla said the men were choked by fumes.
A third person then went in to help them, the third person also choked, he said.
A fourth person went in and was able to get the third man out.
He identified one of the deceased men as local resident, Sibusiso Mdluli.
“Five others were taken to hospital, but they have been discharged.”
Dludla said Mdluli’s family “was in pain just like I am. It is sad that a person goes out in the morning only for him to die.”
Dludla said: “He was a very poor boy. He was the family’s main provider and left his mother, a pensioner.” He said Mdluli was one of the local people who had been employed, as part of the contract.
Dludla said the men from Durban were permanent employees.
Daily News