Technicians pronounced dead at Antarctica station after being found unconscious

McMurdo Station is located on Ross Island, Antarctica.
McMurdo Station is located on Ross Island, Antarctica. Photo credit: Breanna Barraclough / Newshub

An investigation is underway after two fire technicians at McMurdo Station in Antarctica were killed.

The workers were performing maintenance at the station operated by United States National Science Foundation on Wednesday when a helicopter pilot in the air saw smoke coming from the building.

The two technicians were found unconscious and removed from the building located on Ross Island.

Both workers were administered CPR but one was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was flown to McMurdo clinic and died there.

No personal information has been released about the workers, but their next of kin has been notified.

McMurdo station is located near to New Zealand's Scott Base research facility on Ross Island.

The deaths come just months after a Russian polar researcher stationed at a remote Antarctica base was charged with the attempted murder of a colleague in October.

Newshub.