Two crew members of a mechanised boat died on Monday after allegedly inhaling toxic fumes while unloading fish at a jetty near Chandipur beach in Odisha’s Balasore district, police stated.
The tragic incident occurred at the Naupalgadi fishing jetty situated in Balaramgadi. The deceased have been identified as Pravakar Mallick and Sashina Mallick, both hailing from Aruha village in the neighbouring Bhadrak district.
According to police, the two men collapsed and fell unconscious immediately after entering the fish storage chamber of the vessel shortly after it anchored at the jetty. Even as they were rushed to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital, the doctors declared them brought dead.
While officials currently suspect asphyxiation as the primary cause of the death of the two people, they maintained that the exact cause of death will only be established following a post-mortem examination.
“Fishermen sometimes use chemicals to preserve fish for longer durations. If used in excess, toxic gases may accumulate inside enclosed spaces like the chamber,” an official said.
