Three men, including a father-son duo, died after inhaling toxic gases emanating from a septic tank in Jharkhand's Garhwa district Tuesday, police said.
The incident took place at an under-construction house in Pipra Kala locality of Garhwa town, District Superintendent of Police Srikant S Thokray said.
"One of the workers got down into an under-construction septic tank to remove its shuttering. It was connected to another septic tank that was in use. The labourer fell unconscious after inhaling toxic gases present in it.
"Another worker then got down to pull him out but he too lost consciousness, as did two others who were waiting outside. The four persons were admitted to a hospital, where three of them died," Sadar police station in-charge Laxmikant said.
The deceased were identified as Immamuddin Ansari, his son Gulab Rabani, and Amarendra Sharma -- residents of Kalyanpur village in Sadar police station area, he said.
Another labourer, identified as Kameshwar Prajapati, is being treated at a hospital and he is out of danger, the officer said, adding he is also from Kalyanpur.
The families of the deceased will get housing units under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, benefits under the widow pension scheme and Rs 20,000 each under a social security scheme, he added.