According to rescue sources, the incident occurred while the children were playing inside a large wheat storage drum (bhardola) that had recently been cleaned by family members.
The rescue sources said the elders of the family had reportedly stepped out of the house after cleaning the wheat storage drum, unaware that the girls had entered it.
All six girls died of suffocation after getting trapped inside the drum. The deceased children have been identified as Maryam (7 years old), Sonia (6 years old), Dua Fatima (1 year old), Savera (4 years old), Amna (6 years old), and Sumayya (8 years old).
The rescue team confirmed that the tragedy unfolded in the family's absence, and the discovery of the children’s bodies has left the entire area in a state of shock and mourning.
Eyewitnesses and neighbours described the scene as "a vision of doomsday," with every eye filled with tears and grief engulfing the neighbourhood.
Six children, including four sisters, died on Monday due to suffocation in Sargodha, Rescue 1122 said in a statement.
“The family went out after cleaning the wheat drum in the house. The children went inside the wheat drum while lying down to play, getting stuck in the process and eventually suffocating to death,” its report read.
The incident took place in Chak number 12, Jinnah Colony in Sargodha district of Punjab.
The deceased children’s names were Saima, Amna, Sawera, Dua Fatima, Sonia and Maryam, the statement added.
Yesterday, two siblings lost their lives due to suffocation after accidentally getting locked inside an iron drum while playing hide-and-seek at their home at Chak 60/5-L, Burjwala.
In January, at least five children from a family, including four siblings and their cousin, were found dead due to suffocation caused by smoke from burning coals used to keep warm.
