Bagerhat: Two people, including a Chinese man, died and two others fell ill after reportedly inhaling toxic gas at Meghna Cement Mills in Mongla on Sunday.

The deceased are identified as Jung, a Chinese engaged in the River training of Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, and Masud Sheikh, a technician of the Meghna Cement Mills owned.

Mill manager (Administration) Golam Mortaza said Jung has recently bought an old barge in auction. He went to the mill on Sunday afternoon to see the barge.

He along with three employees of the mill went to its terminal and entered the barge alone.

Masud also entered the barge as Jung did not come out of it even in a long time.

Two other employees—Sayeed and Belal—went inside the barge along with fire workers of the mill and rescued the duo as they did not come out.

They were taken to Bandar Hospital where doctors declared them dead.

Dr Prakash Mondal of the hospital said they might have died inhaling gas created due to closure of the barge for a long time.

The Mongla Police Sub-inspecter Manjur Elahi said they sent the bodies to Bagerhat Sadar Hospital for autopsy.