LAHORE - Two ill-fated sewer men and a labourer were recovered dead from a manhole near Askary flats in the limits of South Cantt on Friday, apparently due to toxic chemical gases accumulated inside the hole. They were reportedly without safety gadgets including gas masks, special dress and oxygen cylinders when they went into the manhole. As per details, the first one, Bashir, descended into the hole to connect a pipe but disappeared after some time. His co-worker, Tausif, got worried about his safety. He moved inside to see his companion, but went missing mysteriously. The labourer, sitting outside, lost his life when he too landed inside to save the two sewer men. The incident took place in sizzling heat, as the temperature inside the 11-feet deep hole was much higher than the normal one that caused instant death of the three young men, police officials said. The victims are identified as Bashir Ahmad, 22, and Tausif Ahmad, 25, residents of Charsada while the labourer, Akram, of Pakpatan. Edhi and police officials said that the sewer men were hired for repairing the underground sewer pipe laid down in a manhole outside a house in Askari-10 Flats (colony). Bashir went into the manhole to connect an underground sewer pipe and suddenly fell unconscious due to noxious chemical gases, the officials said adding, the other sewer man Tausif who was standing outside the manhole also climbed in when he found his colleague lying unconscious. As soon as he tried to rescue the trapped colleague, Tausif also fell victim to the toxic chemical gases. The officials said that the labourer who was working some yards away rushed to the hole when he found the two sewer men missing. As he reached there he saw them lying inside the hole unconscious. In a bid to rescue them, Akram went into the hole but like other two sewer men he also fell unconscious due to harmful gases. Quoting another labourer, Jamshed Ali, the police officials said that he immediately informed the local police and the Rescue 1122 when he found three men unconscious inside the hole. When I looked down into the manhole foul smell of gases was coming out. One of the three victims was coughing, trying hard to keep breathing, Jamshed told the police officials, adding that minutes after he also fell unconscious before the arrival of the rescue staff. The diameter of the manhole was so small that it was very difficult for a victim to come out without some bodys help, he said. Rescue 1122 and Edhi officials, however, reached the site and pulled out the dead bodies using special equipment. They were immediately rushed to the local hospitals but useless as two of them had died at the spot while another one breathed his last on the way. A large number of people gathered there shortly after the tragic incident. The police informed the family members of the three victims and handed over their bodies without autopsy.