Hisar: Three workers died of suffocation, while two others are battling for life after inhaling toxic fumes inside a closed room at a furniture factory in Dhandhur village near Hisar on Monday. The incident occurred after the workers lit a fire in an iron bucket inside the room to keep warm and then went to sleep.The deceased have been identified as Anuj and Sahil, both residents of Azamgarh district in Uttar Pradesh, and Amarjeet of Ambedkar Colony, Hisar. Two other workers, Shiva and Sanjay, had been referred to a private hospital in Hisar. Anuj reportedly got married only two months ago. According to the police and factory sources, the five workers had arrived in Dhandhur village just five days ago to work at the furniture factory. As the factory remained closed on Monday due to Republic Day holiday, the workers stayed inside their room. Suspicion arose around 1pm when the lights outside the room remained on and there was no movement inside. A fellow worker, who lives in nearby quarters, alerted other employees. When they peeped through a glass window above the room, all five were seen lying unconscious. The workers broke open the window and poured water inside before entering the room. They found a fire still burning in an iron bucket, with the room locked from inside. The police said the fire caused build-up of toxic gases, leading to suffocation. An ambulance was called and all five workers were rushed to Hisar civil hospital where the doctors declared Anuj, Sahil, and Amarjeet dead on arrival, while the other two were referred for advanced treatment due to their critical condition. Police teams reached the spot and are investigating the incident. Further action will be taken after completion of the necessary formalities.
