Two industrial workers tragically lost their lives due to toxic gas inhalation while performing cleaning maintenance on an under-construction Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) reservoir at a ceramic manufacturing facility in Mymensingh's Bhaluka upazila on Saturday morning.

The fatal workplace incident took place at approximately 10 am inside the Excellent Ceramics plant, located in the Paragaon locality under Habirbari Union.

Authorities identified the victims as 28-year-old mechanical welder Shafiqul Islam, who was the son of Faruk Gazi hailing from Noksa village in Khulna's Koira upazila, and 25-year-old civil helper Rumel Mia, the son of Kuhil Mia from Balli village inside Netrokona's Khaliajuri upazila.

Accounts from co-workers indicate that the tragedy unfolded when Shafiqul climbed down into the ETP tank to clean the interior structure but went completely silent shortly afterward.

Sensing danger, Rumel descended into the deep tank in a desperate bid to pull his colleague out, but he was also quickly overcome by the dense toxic fumes and lost consciousness.

Alarmed by the chaotic shouts of nearby staff, other factory workers rushed over to the scene and successfully extricated both unresponsive men from the chamber.

The unconscious laborers were immediately transported to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where the emergency room physicians pronounced them dead upon arrival.

Law enforcement personnel deployed to the industrial facility upon receiving reports of the casualties.

Officer-in-Charge of Bhaluka Model Police Station, Zahidul Islam, confirmed that management had already rushed the affected employees to the medical facility by the time his team reached the scene.

He further noted that the bodies are now at the morgue of Mymensingh Medical College Hospital.

Weighing in on the accident, the Superintendent of Police for Mymensingh Industrial Police-5, Md Ansar Uddin, emphasized that rigorous legal action would be taken against those responsible if the official inquiry reveals any operational negligence on the part of the factory management or any critical lapses during the emergency rescue phase.