The victims were in the process of pulling out planks used to construct the septic tank at the house of Prakash Kewat.
According to police, the deceased have been identified as Bhadai Tharu, 40; Ramesh Pashi, 30; Binod Tharu, 25; Tauleshwar Tharu, 50, of Hathausa Baadganga Municipality-7; and Shiva Narayan Yadav, 24, of Galaha of Bandganga-4.
The 10x6 feet septic tank was eight feet deep. According to the family of Prakash Kewat, Ramesh had first entered the tank. After he did not return, Tauleshwar, and then three others went inside. As none of them returned, three female laborers working at the site alerted others, said Chadmati, sister-in-law of Kewat."Upon learning about the incident, Shiva Narayan, a tractor driver nearby also entered the tank in an attempt to rescue the four, but he also lost consciousness and got stuck inside," recalled Chadmati.
The locals then called police and two policemen from the temporary police post at Jahadi reached the site. The policemen then sought help from the District Police Office (DPO). The police team from the DPO bore a hole in the top of the tank and pulled the five unconscious men out, said an eye-witness Dharmendra Yadav.
"Their condition was already critical," said Yadav. The victims were taken to Taulihawa Hospital and shortly afterward, doctors pronounced them dead.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Bikram Gurung, who had reached the site with the rescue team, said the top of the tank had gotten hot in the scorching sun and there was as a result there was not enough air to breathe, which ultimately led to the tragedy.
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