Five die of carbon monoxide poisoning in South Africa

Five people, including four children, died in two incidents of carbon monoxide poisoning here Thursday, authorities said.

In one incident, a two-month old girl, a four-year-old boy and another 12-year-old girl died after inhaling toxic fumes from a "imbawula" fire inside their house, Xinhua reported citing local media.

Imbawula is a makeshift coal stove made out of a large tin with holes in the side.

The children's mother and a six-year-old boy were hopsitalised in a critical condition

In a separate incident, a 26-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy were found dead in a shack in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. They had also used an imbawula in their home and died from inhaling carbon monoxide.