THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is investigating the cause of death of 11 people from Tumatu, in the Nzema East district, allegedly after they had eaten fish from River Ankobra. Jonathan Allotey, Executive Director of the EPA, told journalists here on Wednesday that preliminary investigations by the EPA did not give any indication of the cause of death. However, Mr Allo-tey said, the EPA had received one more sample and would need to examine that before it could make conclusions. The Regional Director of the EPA, Mrs Irene Heathcote, revealed that after eating the fish, the people vomited and had diarrhoea. She advised the people of Tumatu to avoid the use of chemicals for fishing saying, "It could be deadly." Another EPA source at Tarkwa told the Times that people use various unorthodox means to catch fish from rivers. He said such bad practices were very common in some parts of the Western Region, adding, "We should be cautious about what fish we eat." In his view, socio-cultural practices and poverty were the main causes of such unorthodox practices in fishing. The people died on the night of January 17. Initially six people died instantly after eating fish from the river,and five others followed later The dead included three children, aged between four and six. However, four others were admitted at the Simpa Hospital, treated and discharged. The Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, visited the chiefs and the bereaved families on Friday to express his sympathy and that of the President. He later donated 35 cloths, three bags of rice, assorted drinks and cash of ¢6 million to the Omanhene, Awulae Angama Tu Agyan II, to be given to the bereaved families.