Man suffers poisoning in suicide attempt

A 40-year-old man poisoned himself with gas yesterday in an attempt to commit suicide in his home in To Kwa Wan.

The man, surnamed Yu, drilled holes in six liquid petroleum gas cartridges, and put them inside a plastic bag.

He then lay down and put the bag on his head and fastened it, hoping the gas would kill him.

But he was rescued by his 38-year-old sister, who lives with him in the second-floor tenement in Pak Tai Street.

She smelled the gas shortly before noon, when she walked past her brother's room.

Finding Mr Yu lying unconscious on the bed, she immediately removed the bag from his head and called the police. He was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital and was in serious condition last night.

A suicide note was found in Mr Yu's bedroom, saying he was leading an unhappy life, a police spokesman said.

His sister told police that Mr Yu had been depressed for a long time, after losing his job.