RAWALPINDI, Nov 29: Three young men (carpenters) died of suffocation in their sleep, while two others were found unconscious, due to carbon monoxide fumes from a fireplace, inside the room. The incident occurred in Dhoke Kala Khan, on Thursday, police said.

Two of the victims, Irshad Ahmed, 20, and Rifaqat Ali, 19, were found unconscious and removed to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH), where they were stated to be out of danger.

The incident came to light on Thursday, when a colleague, living in an adjacent room, found them lying unconscious.

Aslam Pervez, a carpenter, who lives in the adjoining room, told Dawn that he along with his co-workers noticed that none of those sleeping in the next room was getting up.

Aslam said: “As I knocked the door, I found them unresponsive. When I forcibly opened the window, I found all of the five carpenters in deep slumber, though one of them responded, when I called him.” He said that when he opened the window of the room, he found it filled with fumes.

Shortly after, emergency services were called, who removed all of them to the BBH.

On reaching the hospital, three of the victims who were identified as Shahbaz Ali, 20, Arshad Ali, 21, and Haider Ali, 19, were pronounced dead by the doctors, while first aid was given to the two others.