One Chinese, one Bangladeshi die after inhaling poisonous gas in abandoned barge

DHAKA, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) — One Bangladeshi and one Chinese national have died after they inhaled poisonous gas stored in an abandoned barge in Bangladesh’s second largest Mongla seaport in Bagerhat district, some 178 km southwest of the capital city, local police said Monday.
Sheikh Lutfur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Police Station in Mongla, told Xinhua that the Chinese national has been working for a Chinese company which is responsible for carrying out river training task in support of construction of Bangladesh’s largest Padma Bridge.
He said Masud Sheikh, 42, a technician of Bangladesh’s top leading Bashundhara Group’s Meghna Cement Mills, also died as he went to rescue the Chinese national, about 50.
Their remains are now at a hospital mortuary.
According to the policeman, Zhang, who came to check the barge, entered a chamber closed for years and fell unconscious at around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
He said Masud later entered the chamber to rescue the Chinese national after getting no response from him.
They were rushed to a local hospital where doctors pronounced them dead, he added.
“They might have died from poisonous gas stored in the chamber.”  Endite