By . Leon Watson . Last updated at 6:08 PM on 24th October 2011 . Two young boys have died and two were badly hurt after getting trapped in a steel trunk at church, police in South Africa said today. The surviving two spent seven hours in the box and were only saved from suffocation when an adult found them. They emerged gasping for air having being imprisoned as their friends died. Tragedy: Homes in shanty town area of Soweto near Johannesburg . It is believed all four had been playing when they climbed into the trunk in a toilet at the church  in Soweto near Johannesburg. But when the trunk's heavy lid slammed down, trapping them inside, the children were left helpless. Police spokesman Kay Makhubela said it was believed the youngest two boys, aged three and six, had died. He said: 'This was tragic and very frightening for the children. The boys were playing around a church when they climbed into an old metal trunk in the toilet. 'The box was built from steel and had a heavy wooden lid which closed on them. 'The children were unable to open it and spent around seven hours trapped inside. 'When an adult finally found them two of the boys were dead and the other two had been stuck inside with their bodies.' The two surviving boys, both aged seven, were rushed to hospital after the incident on Friday. Medics treated them for the effects of oxygen deprivation and their condition was today described as stable. Warrant Officer Makhubela said post mortem examinations would be conducted to confirm what caused the two deaths. He added that police did not suspect foul play and had opened inquests into the tragedy. He said: 'The investigation continues but this appears to have been a tragic accident. 'It was especially frightening for the parents of the children who spent many hours searching for the boys. 'The children had been playing when they got trapped at around 2pm on Friday. 'It wasn't until after 9pm that they were discovered when an adult entered the toilet and heard some sort of movement coming from inside the trunk. 'She opened it and found the terrible scene inside. 'The families are obviously shocked by what happened but it seems it was a terrible accident.'
Two friends survived after being entombed in steel trunk near church in Soweto .
They gasped for air as they were eventually released .
By . Leon Watson . Last updated at 6:08 PM on 24th October 2011 . Two young boys have died and two were badly hurt after getting trapped in a steel trunk at church, police in South Africa said today. The surviving two spent seven hours in the box and were only saved from suffocation when an adult found them. They emerged gasping for air having being imprisoned as their friends died. Tragedy: Homes in shanty town area of Soweto near Johannesburg . It is believed all four had been playing when they climbed into the trunk in a toilet at the church  in Soweto near Johannesburg. But when the trunk's heavy lid slammed down, trapping them inside, the children were left helpless. Police spokesman Kay Makhubela said it was believed the youngest two boys, aged three and six, had died. He said: 'This was tragic and very frightening for the children. The boys were playing around a church when they climbed into an old metal trunk in the toilet. 'The box was built from steel and had a heavy wooden lid which closed on them. 'The children were unable to open it and spent around seven hours trapped inside. 'When an adult finally found them two of the boys were dead and the other two had been stuck inside with their bodies.' The two surviving boys, both aged seven, were rushed to hospital after the incident on Friday. Medics treated them for the effects of oxygen deprivation and their condition was today described as stable. Warrant Officer Makhubela said post mortem examinations would be conducted to confirm what caused the two deaths. He added that police did not suspect foul play and had opened inquests into the tragedy. He said: 'The investigation continues but this appears to have been a tragic accident. 'It was especially frightening for the parents of the children who spent many hours searching for the boys. 'The children had been playing when they got trapped at around 2pm on Friday. 'It wasn't until after 9pm that they were discovered when an adult entered the toilet and heard some sort of movement coming from inside the trunk. 'She opened it and found the terrible scene inside. 'The families are obviously shocked by what happened but it seems it was a terrible accident.'
adult found them. They emerged gasping for air having being imprisoned as their friends died. toilet at the church  in Soweto near 9pm that they were discovered when an adult