DFA verifies death of 6 Filipinos in Malaysia

At least six Filipino workers died after inhaling carbon monoxide gas while cleaning a water tank in Malaysia late Sunday, a Malaysian newspaper reported late Monday. Malaysia's The Star said the incident occurred at the Kampung Lawa Gadong water treatment plant in the southwest Beaufort district. In Manila, dzXL radio reported on Tuesday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is still verifying details of the incident. The report initially identified the six as Wahad, 30; Mus, 25; Ajin, 20; Armujil, 18; Anuar, 17 and Baisal, 16. Beaufort district police chief Deputy Superintendent Mustaffa Maarof Mustaffa said the incident occurred when two of the workers entered the filtering tank at about 2 p.m. and switched on a pump to remove the remaining water inside. When the two workers failed to emerge by 6 p.m., their four colleagues went to check on them and discovered them unconscious inside the tank. The four workers went one after the other into the tank to try to help, but each was overcame by the gas, which caused them to pass out and eventually die. Family members notified the police and Fire and Rescue Services Department at about 7:40 p.m. when the six failed to return home. Mustaffa said firemen had to extricate the bodies of the workers through the tank’s small entrance and the work was only completed at about midnight. — LBG/KBK, GMANews.TV.