INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, January 30
A man and a woman lost their lives in the sauna of Fit and Fine Health Club, at Bishalchowk, Lalitpur Metropolitan
City last night.
Police suspect the couple died of suffocation due to carbon monoxide gas emitted by a gas geyser inside the sauna.
The
deceased have been identified as Hasta Garbuja Magar, 40, and his wife Netra Kumari Magar, 37, residents of the same area
Hasta was personal secretary of former minister and ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) leader Tham Maya Thapa Magar.
According to
Jawalakhel-based Metropolitan Police Range, both of them were found unconscious inside the sauna locked from inside, at around 9:11 pm
DSP Mitra Bandhu Sharma of Metropolitan Police Circle, Satdobato said, &Preliminary investigation indicates that the couple used the gas
water geyser to take bath after using the sauna, in the bathroom attached to it
Excessive use of the geyser might have raised the level of the toxic gas, which suffocated the couple.&
Regular members of the health club,
the couple had visited it at 6:21 pm yesterday.
A CCTV footage retrieved by police showed a gym staffer walking up to the door of the sauna
at 8:25 pm.
He returned to his work without ‘disturbing the sauna users,& said police.
The staffer again walked up to the sauna door at
8:47 pm and grew suspicious as the couple had been inside for two hours.
The health club staffers and other locals broke the door open at
9:11pm to find the couple lying unconscious.
They informed the police and the couple was rushed to Patan Hospital, where they were declared
dead by the doctors, according to police.
Juna Basnet, owner of the health club said the deceased, who were her neighbours were regular
&They were well informed about the procedure to operate the sauna and gas geyser
So we did not remind them about the safety measures
What happened yesterday was tragic,& she said.
Both police and Basnet said the exhaust fan inside the bathroom was not turned on
Police have launched an investigation to ascertain safety measures of the sauna
But, no one was arrested till late night
Yogita Pun, cousin of the deceased couple, has filed a complaint with the police for an investigation into the case.
Geysers connected to
liquefied petroleum gas, used in bathrooms pose serious threat to life if necessary safety requirements are not met
A gas geyser contains a gas burner and sealed combustion chamber which generates odourless and tasteless toxic carbon monoxide.
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Couple dies of suffocation in sauna appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
