BÌNH DƯƠNG — Three workers at a steel plant in the southern province of Bình Dương have died after inhaling poisonous fumes. 

The southern province of Bình Dương’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affair is coordinating with the provincial police to investigate the case.

The three reportedly suffered suspected asphyxiation while they were repairing a furnace at Samina Steel Ltd Co, located at Tân Bình Ward, Dĩ An Town, of the province on Monday.

A leader of the department told Vietnam News Agency on Friday the accident occurred when two workers of the Samina Steel Ltd.Co, Trần Văn Bay, 41, and Đào Biển, 31, discovered a leak when they entered a steel furnace measuring 2.2m in height and 1.5m in diameter.

On Monday, Trần Văn Bay took Bùi Anh Duy, a 37-year-old electrician of the company to show him the leak on the furnace. It appears there ventilation inside wasn't switched on and the group passed out.   

Sensing the danger, workers standing outside the furnace area did not climb inside, instead they used long poles to hook the victims’ clothes then pulled each one out. All three victims were taken to Dĩ An Town Hospital.

According to a local police report, when the victims were rushed to the emergency room in the hospital, all three workers were in cardiac arrest. One of the men died a short time later, while the two others died after being transferred to different hospitals.

Bay and Biển were residents of the Mekong Delta Province Sóc Trăng while Duy was of Bình Dương Province. — VNS