Bahrain warns residents against toxic fumes

Manama: Residents of Bahrain have been warned to protect themselves and their families while using appliances that burn fuel.

The call by labour officials followed a tragedy on Monday in which four Indians died after they inhaled carbon monoxide fumes.

Babu Kayyalayil, 42, Lalu Thaithara Ravi, 36, Nakulan Nangath Meethal, 53, and Priyesh Kunhi Parambath, 27, reportedly burnt pieces of wood in a discarded 20-litre paint drum in the room they shared to keep themselves warm during the exceptionally cold spell. They had gone to sleep with the fire still blazing.

The room had no windows or ventilation and the poisonous fumes caused their death, Daily Tribune reported.

Co-workers found the men when they did not report to work in a garage in Hamad Town, 17 kilometres south to the capital, Manama.

Only Sunil Sasidharan has survived the tragedy, but his condition is critical.

Kayyalayil’s body was found close to the door. He presumably woke up and tried to crawl out to safety.

The men, all from the Indian state of Kerala, worked in a garage close to their room.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, over 400 people die each year in the US from unintentional, non-fire related carbon monoxide poisoning.