HCM CITY —  An 11-year-old girl died and six people in a family in HCM City’s Thủ Đức District were hospitalised due to suspected gas asphyxiation on Wednesday, local police said.

Police said that on Wednesday morning, homeowner Lê Văn Mười Hai, 65, went out to a café. He returned home twice at 9:00am and 11:00am, rang the doorbell but no one answered. He thought the family members were asleep so he left again.

At 1:00pm, when Hai returned home to ring the bell again his five-year-old grandson opened the door.

He noticed the child was struggling to speak and was exhausted, so Hai rushed into the house, and called for help from neighbours.

Entering the house, he discovered his wife Trần Thị Phụng, 61 and five grandchildren were passed out.

Trần Thị Phụng, 61, is treated at hospital. — Photo tienphong.vn

Receiving the phone-call, the city health department staff arrived and provided first aid and brought the victims to the nearest hospital. However, the 11-year-old girl, Lê Thị Bích Châm, died.

Doctors said one boy was still in a coma, while the other family members have gradually recovered.

Police said the family did not use electricity from the grid but a generator installed at the home. Generator 

“The exhaust fumes from the generator might be the cause of the incident,” a policeman said on condition of anonymity. Further investigations are underway.

Homeowner Hai said because his family did not pay electricity bills, the house had been cut off from the grid in  recent months. He borrowed the generator from a friend.—  VNS