THANE: Three labourers engaged in cleaning a manhole in an industrial area in Maharashtra's Thane district Friday died possibly after inhaling poisonous fumes.
The incident happened in the MIDC area of Dombivli in the evening and the Kalyan-Dombivli fire brigade was summoned at around 4:15pm, an official said.
Fire Officer Suresh Shinde of the Dombivli MIDC fire station told PTI that the deceased were part of a team of contract workers who were engaged in cleaning drains in the industrial area.
The three entered the manhole one after the other in a space of few minutes and choked to death, he said.
He identified the three dead persons as Devidas Pachge (30), Ghanshyam (40) and Mahadeo Zope (38).
Tilak Nagar police in Dombivli is investigating the incident and an official said it would also probe possible safety regulation violations.