Cleaning workers die at Mexican DaimlerChrysler plant

MEXICO CITY, Oct 24, 2002 Reuters reported that four people doing cleaning work at a Mexico City plant of German auto maker DaimlerChryler AG died of asphyxiation from breathing toxic fumes on Thursday, officials and a spokesman from the company said.

The few employees who were on the premises of the plant, which was not producing cars at the time and was scheduled to be shut down permanently, were evacuated and an inquiry was launched into the accident, authorities said.

"Four workers died. An investigation is under way," DaimlerChrysler spokesman in Mexico Manuel Duarte told Reuters.

The victims, who were from the cleaning firm Henkel Mexicana and between 25 and 30 years old, inhaled fumes that were produced as they were washing a cistern, a spokesman for the capital's public security ministry said.

The Mexican unit of DaimlerChrysler said it would wait for the results of the investigation to give more details of the safety measures in place at the plant, which is located in the west of the city.

DaimlerChrysler is the biggest exporter of cars built in Mexico, and it also has truck and bus assembly plants in Mexico. But last year said it would shut down three of its plants here -- the Mexico City assembly plant, plus two plants that built motors and transmissions -- due to the economic recession in the United States.