DADU: A woman and her two children died and three others were left fighting for their lives reportedly after inhaling toxic fumes in their sleep at their residence in Khoso locality, Sehwan town, on Wednesday.

Neighbours said that Siddique Channa and all members his family were found unconscious in their air conditioned bedroom and they brought them to the Syed Abdullah Shah Institute of Medical Sciences.

Siddique recovered soon afterwards, his children, four-year-old Shahzeb and five-year-old Tania were already dead, while their siblings Shaista, 8; Shahzia, 9; Sania, 10, and their mother Ms Sitara were admitted for treatment but the mother died later, they said.

Dr Moeenuddin Siddiqui, director of the institute, said that initial findings suggested poisoning might be the cause of their death but precise nature of the tragedy was still under investigation.

Jamshoro SSP Tariq Nawaz said the victims were found unconscious in their bedroom and preliminary reports pointed out the source of poisoning might be linked to some toxic mosquito spray. Police were still probing the exact cause of the incident, he said.

He said that Siddique told police officials at the hospital that his wife and children were sleeping when a foul smell crept into the room and caused all of them to fall unconscious.

He said that a neighbour had used some highly toxic pesticide for his wheat. Its fumes travelled to his house and killed his wife and children, said the SSP quoting Channa.

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2024