Balasore: Two crew members of a mechanised boat died Monday after allegedly inhaling toxic fumes while unloading fish at a jetty near Chandipur beach in Balasore district, police said.
The incident occurred at Naupalgadi fishing jetty at Balaramgadi. The deceased were identified as Pravakar Mallick and Sashina Mallick, residents of Aruha village in Bhadrak district.
The two men fell unconscious after entering the fish storage chamber of the boat soon after it anchored at the jetty, police said.
They were rushed to the Balasore District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
Officials said asphyxiation is suspected, though the exact cause of death would be known after the post-mortem examination.
Fishermen sometimes use chemicals to preserve fish for longer durations.
If used in excess, toxic gases may accumulate inside enclosed spaces like the chamber, an official said.
