Devastating: Maria Chelysheva, eight, is said to be ‘inconsolable’ after losing her entire family who were all overcome by rotten potato fumes

An eight-year-old Russian girl has been orphaned after her entire family was wiped out by deadly gas caused from rotting potatoes.

Grief-stricken Maria Chelysheva lost her father, mother, brother and grandmother who were killed one by one after entering a cellar where they stored potatoes for the winter.

Relatives are caring for the girl who is inconsolable over her loss.

Her father, respected law professor Mikhail Chelyshev, 42, was first to enter the cellar, not realising the potatoes had become seriously rotten.

He fainted from the noxious fumes, and soon afterwards died, say police.

When he failed to re-appear, his worried wife Anastasia, 38, went to look for him in the dark and was also overcome by the poisonous gas.

Next the couple’s 18 year old son Georgy went in search of his parents, only to suffer the same tragic fate as his mother and father after inhaling the highly toxic fumes.

Anastasia’s mother Iraida, 68, called a neighbour to say there was something suspicious and to plead for help.

But before assistance arrived, she also went into the cellar, suffocated from the gas, and collapsed and died like the others, say police.

It is understood that as she went in, she left the door open, allowing the fumes to disperse.

Victims: Father Mikhail Chelyshev, 42, brother Georgy Chelyshev, 18, and mother Anastasia Chelysheva, 38, died in the cellar when one by one they went to investigate

Maria has been left orphaned by the tragic freak disaster, which took place at the family home

Maria’s grandmother, Iraida, 63, went to investigate the problem in the cellar after both parents and brother Georgy Chelyshev, 18, right, also never returned. She also died

When Maria entered the cellar, she found the bodies of her whole family on the cellar floor.

The shocking case was at Laishevo, a town near Kazan, in the Russian republic of Tatarstan on the Volga River.

‘They all died of gas poisoning which has accumulated in the basement as a result of badly rotting potatoes,’ said a local investigator.

Georgy Chelyshev, 18, left, and his father, respected law professor Mikhail Chelyshev, 42, right were two of four of Maria’s family relatives who were killed by the toxic potato fumes, according to police

‘The poor girl  found the bodies of the deceased.’

Relatives and friends are appealing for cash to support the girl.

A memorial service for Professor Chelyshev was held in the marble hall of  Kazan Federal University, where he was head of the department of civil and business law.

Read more: Daily Mail