Police today confirmed that two men who were rushed to the district hospital yesterday after inhaling fumes from welding works they were doing to repair a leak on a scow at the Kampung Apas Parit jetty off Batu Payung in Jalan Tinagat here, have died.

Tawau police chief, ACP Fadil Marsus in a statement said Jamaluddin Yalo and Yadi Lalo, both Indonesians aged 25 years, died in the emergency unit at the hospital at 6.30pm.

He said based on police investigation, the incident occurred around 3pm when Jamaluddin fell into a confined space in the scow that was five metres deep.

"Yadi went to his aid but when there was no response from both of them, their foreman, Tsen Gaw Ming, 29, went down to the confined space as well," he said.

Failing to receive any response from all three, another worker made a distress call to the Fire and Rescue Department.

Fadil said Tsen died at the scene, while Jamaluddin and Yadi were rushed to the hospital.

He said the case has been classified as sudden death.

Based on an earlier report from the fire and rescue department, the scow which was used to transport stones from a quarry in the area, had docked at the jetty to have a leak repaired.

The three workers had reportedly inhaled welding fumes which had collected and were trapped in the confined space.

-- BERNAMA