Surat, Oct 18 (IANS): Two sanitation workers died of suffocation while cleaning a sewer in the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology (SVNIT) campus in Surat on Tuesday.

Another sanitation worker is in a critical condition and being treated in Surat government hospital.

Talking to mediapersons, Surat Mayor Hemali Boghawala said: "A fire brigade team had received a call from SVNIT's student informing that three workers have fallen unconscious while cleaning the sewer in the college campus. A fire team reached the spot and carried out the rescue operation. Of the three, two have died of suffocation while another was rushed to hospital."

The deceased were identified as Satyam Sahu and Qadir Siddiqi.

Satyam's brother Munnabhai told mediapersons that his brother first fell unconscious so Qadir entered gutter to rescue him, but he too fell unconscious, so the third person also tried to save them but in vain, after which the fire brigade team was informed for rescue operation

Victims' family members are demanding compensation.