40 Hospitalised After Chlorine Gas Leak At Nagpur Water Treatment Plant
At least 40 people were hospitalised after a chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in Godhani, near Collector's Colony here, police said. The leak occurred during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, and those affected were admitted to Sparsh Hospital and Mayo Hospital. Several of them complained of breathing difficulties as the gas spread to nearby residential areas.
The facility, near Fago Patil Layout and Nag Mandir Tekdi, is operated by the Godhani Gram Panchayat, officials said. It is not run by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) or Orange City Water Works (OCW), they said. Officials said the leak began around 1 am from a 900-kg chlorine cylinder kept on the premises for about six months, which had developed a leak in its wall. The exact cause would be established through the police enquiry, officials said.
Between 8 and 10 plant employees and 20 to 25 residents were affected, officials told media. Four minors were among those hospitalised, admitted to intensive care. Twelve of those admitted had been discharged by Monday morning, and all patients were reported to be stable.
Police, fire brigade and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams reached the spot and began rescue and neutralisation operations. NDRF personnel entered the facility wearing protective suits. Around 5.30 am, after the leak subsided, the chlorine cylinder was placed in a tank containing water mixed with caustic soda. NDRF, fire brigade and OCW personnel assisted in the operation.
OCW teams assisted in controlling the leak using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) sets, and officials from the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health were present at the site. A joint operation by OCW, NDRF and NMC teams to evacuate people from the affected area was still underway on Monday morning. The police advised residents to stay at least 200 metres away from the plant until 11 am on Monday. Sources said the concentration of gas in the area was gradually declining, and authorities said the situation was under control.
Senior Police Inspector Haresh Kalsekar of Mankapur police station said a station diary entry had been made and no offence had been registered as of now. "We will conduct an enquiry," he said. The impact appeared largely confined to the immediate vicinity of the plant. Residents and morning walkers further along Godhani Road continued with their routine without visible panic.
(With inputs from PTI)
