5 Kids Suffocate To Death After Getting Trapped In Grain Container While Playing

Five children in India, who entered a grain container while playing, died from suffocation after the container closed accidentally, trapping them inside.

The children were playing at their home when they noticed the half-empty container that was used to store grains. They jumped into the container one after the other, following which it got locked accidentally, news agency PTI reported.

The incident took place in the western state of Rajasthan on Sunday evening when no one was present at the house. Out of the five children, four were siblings.

The incident came to light after the mother of the siblings returned home and found them missing.

“When the mother of the children came home, she did not find them. During the search for them, she opened the container and found them inside it,” a police officer told PTI.

Another police officer told the Times of India the mother rushed the children to a nearby hospital after finding them in an unconscious state inside the container.

"The mother was stunned to discover the children in an unconscious state after she opened the lid of the container. All the five were rushed to the hospital where they were declared brought dead," the officer told the daily.

The victims were aged between 4 and 8 years.

"The four were children of Bhayaram, a farmer. The fifth deceased has been identified as Maali, who is Bhayaram’s niece," the officer told the Times of India.

The officer added the lids of such containers can get locked accidentally.

"The children may have tried to open it but failed as the lid was locked. A Forensic Science Laboratory Division (FSL) has also examined the site," the officer said.

The incident comes just a day after three children of a family playing hide-and-seek died in the same state after a mound of soil collapsed. A fourth child was also trapped, but was rescued by the locals. Authorities said the children had dug a sand tunnel following which a portion of the sand dune caved in and trapped them inside.