CHENNAI: In a tragic incident, three women--two elderly women and a young girl-- died of asphyxiation after they allegedly inhaled poisonous gas in the toilet in their house at Reddiyarpalayam in adjoining Union Territory of Puducherry on Tuesday.

Reports received here said the deceased were identified Senthamarai, Kamakshi and the former's grandaughter and the latter's daughter.

Suspected poisonous gas leak in a sceptic tank nearby might have entered the toilet in the house through sewerage pipelines.

Senthamarai first fell unconscious on entering the toilet. As she did not come out, her daughter Kamakshi went to check and she too fainted.

A little while later, the grandaughter, who came to the house, found both of them lying unconscious and she too met with the tragedy after inhaling the poisonous gas.

The bodies were shifted to the Government hospital for post mortem.

Reports said non-cleaning of the sceptic tank following which the gas has developed, has led to the tragedy.

The Puducherry government announced financial assistance to the families of the three deceased.

Senior, police, fire, Revenue and PWD officials rushed to the spot and took steps to clean the sceptic tank. They also appealed to the people not to panic and to clean the drain and pipelines regularly.

Since the sceptic tank was opened for cleaning by the authorities, they have appealed to the people in the area to move to safer places a gas emanating from it might spread in the air.

The government also arranged basic facilities for the people and health department officials are monitoring the condition of the locals by subjecting them to medical examination.

Chief Minister N. Rangaswamy also visited the spot, met the families of the victims and assured that steps will be taken to ensure that such incident did not recur.