56 people hospitalised after chlorine gas leak in Nagpur, India
A major chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in Gohani, Nagpur, India, on Monday 24 August resulting in 56 people being hospitalised, according to reports from The Times of India. Eight of them were treated in an intensive care unit.
The leak occurred at a water treatment plant operated by Godhani Gram Panchayat near Collector’s Colony, and the gas is reported to have spread into nearby residential areas, leaving several people with breathing difficulties and triggering panic.
Preliminary information from the site suggested that a 900kg chlorine tank kept at the plant had developed a leak in its wall, while the exact cause of the leakage is yet to be established and will be determined through an inquiry.
Responders submerged the faulty chlorine cylinder in water to neutralise the escaping gas before specialised teams reached the affected area.The National Disaster Response Force, industrial safety officials, health department teams and the District Disaster Management Authority were involved in the emergency response, according to The Times of India. Health teams also conducted door-to-door checks in the affected locality to identify residents requiring medical attention.
