Two sewer workers die from toxic gas inhalation in Samawah

DHI QAR — Two sewer maintenance workers from Dhi Qar lost their lives Sunday morning after inhaling toxic gases while working in a deep manhole in the Um Al-Asafeer area of central Samawah, Civil Defense officials said.

The incident occurred when one worker, Jasim Mohammed Hassan Al-Zamili, 35, entered the manhole for cleaning purposes and lost consciousness due to exposure to toxic gases. His colleague, Abdullah Shakir Saleh, 34, attempted to rescue him but was also overcome by the fumes, resulting in both men’s deaths.

“The two men were from the Al-Fajr district in Dhi Qar and worked for a service company in Muthanna,” a Civil Defense source told 964media. “The first worker was exposed to toxic gases, and his friend, who tried to rescue him, also succumbed to the fumes.”

Civil Defense teams recovered the bodies and transported them to the forensic department. After completing legal procedures, the bodies will be returned to Dhi Qar for a funeral procession before burial at Wadi Al-Salam cemetery in Najaf.

Wadi Al-Salam, one of the world’s largest and most sacred cemeteries for Shia Muslims, is located near the shrine of Imam Ali. Many Shia Muslims choose to be buried there, believing that proximity to the revered figure brings blessings and eternal peace.