KOTA KINABALU: Three Indonesian men died after inhaling toxic gas emitting from a pile of rotten fish kept inside a fishing trawler at the Sepanggar port here at about 8am yesterday.
According to district police chief Assistant Commissioner M Chandra, the victims were identified as Sundrianto Julkifli, 22, Imran Ladia, 41, and Risali Lapariama, 25 who were crew of the trawler.
"Sundrianto and Imran died at the scene, while Risali died at the Sabah Women and Children's Hospital at 10.30am after receiving treatment with three others.
"Other victims are La Hebo Ladia and Suba Ahmad, both 25 as well as La Ellie Lamoane, 30 who are being treated at the same hospital," he said in a statement.
Hebo said he was with his brother Imran nearby when they heard calls for help from the storage area on board the 15m long wooden vessel berthed alongside the landing jetty.
“A few of us went down the storage area and saw Sundrianto inside. The stench however was too strong it overwhelmed some of us,” said Hebo who added he managed to come out but had breathing problems.
“My brother did not make it,” said Hebo who was in tears when met at the scene.
Other crew members later used a blower to fan the stench out of the storage before retrieving all five people inside.
Initial investigations by Fire and Rescue department revealed the fish were meant to be processed to make fertilisers at a nearby factory.
It is learnt there were eight workers including the captain who just came back yesterday after being in the sea for a week.
The fish were kept in barrels and some in nets inside the storage compartment.
The toxic gas, identified as hydrogen sulphide, which smells like rotten egg could cause dizziness, eye irritation, loss of smell, loss of consciousness and instant death depending on level of concentration inhaled.