LOS ANGELES -- Two fire technicians were found unconscious at the United States' research station in Antarctica and pronounced dead, the National Science Foundation (NSF) said on Wednesday.
The government agency provided few details on the incident, which is still under investigation, only saying that the workers were performing "preventative maintenance on the building's fire suppression system."
The technicians were found unconscious by a helicopter pilot who landed after seeing what appeared to be smoke coming from the structure, known as the McMurdo Station, a statement from the NSF said.
The two killed were employed by Virgina-based subcontractor PAE.
The NSF is not releasing their identities. A spokesman for NSF confirmed that the pair are U.S. citizens.
Over 1,000 people live at McMurdo Station during peak times, according to the NSF website.
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