Four men fell victim to exhaust gas poisoning while hunting for treasure in an approximately 30-meter deep tunnel under a tumulus, a mound of earth and stones raised over graves, also known as Yığma Hill in Turkey’s northern Tokat province.
Zekai A., 28, who managed to emerge from the tunnel on his own around 10:30 pm on Sunday called emergency units. The provincial AFAD (Disaster and Emergency Management Authority) crew and the rescue squad of the Tokat Fire Department who were assigned to the scene carried out a rescue operation for four hours. Only one rescuer could slope down the narrow tunnel with an oxygen tube as he managed to save 22-year-old Fatih D., who was wounded.
The dead bodies of 25-year-old Halis K. and 19-year-old Olcay K. were retrieved within an hour of each other. They were then taken to Tokat Public Hospital’s morgue for post-mortem examinations. Police also initiated an investigation regarding the situation.
The head of the provincial AFAD, Turan Uzun, has reported that, upon preliminary examinations, the four men were poisoned due to an exhaust gas leak from the generator they used to drain the water in the tunnel. He also noted that a detailed investigation would produce a clearer report on the incident.
