Tragic accident: 5 workers die of suffocation in closed room with burning fireplace
Kurukshetra (The Uttam Hindu): A heartbreaking incident has unfolded at Hotel Sterling Resort on Pipli Road in the holy city of Kurukshetra, where sleeping with a burning fireplace in a room to escape the cold proved fatal for five people. Last night, all five laborers sleeping in a closed room died due to suffocation from the gas from the fireplace. All these laborers had come to do painting work as part of the ongoing construction work at the hotel.
According to reports, after a long day of work, these five working-class men slept in the same room. To protect themselves from the bitter cold, they lit a fireplace in the room and closed the doors and windows. In the morning, when no one emerged from the room for a long time, the hotel staff became suspicious. A cleaning staff knocked on the door, but there was no response. Later, when the staff peeked through the window, they found no movement inside. Fearing something untoward, the hotel administration immediately informed the police.
On receiving the information, City Thana SHO Dinesh Rana and Sector-7 Chowki Incharge Kamal reached the spot with the police force. Forensic team was also called for investigation, which collected evidence from the spot. Hotel supervisor Upendra told the police that contractor Noor from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh had come here with his labour to do paint work. Police have taken all the bodies into custody. SHO Dinesh Rana said that prima facie the cause of death appears to be suffocation, because there was only one window and door for air passage in the room, which were completely closed. Postmortem of the bodies will be done after the arrival of the family members.
It's worth noting that during winter, people often use fireplaces, bonfires, or blowers in closed rooms to protect themselves from the cold, which can prove fatal. According to experts, lighting a fire or heater in a closed room rapidly depletes oxygen levels and produces toxic gases like carbon monoxide. This gas is so dangerous that a sleeping person may not even notice it, and they may die unconscious.