Three die while cleaning well

TANGERANG: Three workers at a chicken slaughterhouse in Suradita village, Cisauk district, Tangerang regency, died after apparently being overcome by poisonous gases in a well.

The owner of the slaughterhouse, Muslim, 45, ordered one of the workers, Darmin, 29, to enter the well on Thursday afternoon to check on the unpleasant odor of water from the seven-meter- deep well.

When Darmin became unresponsive soon after entering the well, another worker, Ramlan, 40, went down to check on his colleague. Ramlan also became unresponsive shortly after entering the well, and another worker, Darso, 27, went in after the first two.

A fourth worker, Manto, 16, was lowered down into the well. He was halfway down when he shouted to be brought up before fainting.

Local residents pulled up the three bodies on Friday afternoon using bamboo and ropes after a police rescue team failed to arrive.

The bodies were still at the Tangerang Hospital morgue as of Saturday.

"Police are examining water and gas samples taken from the well," Tangerang Police deputy chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Aan Suahanan said. -- JP