West Bengal: 25 hospitalised after toxic gas leaks from ice factory in Shapukur area of North 24 Parganas district
Following the incident, local residents expressed strong anger against the factory management. Villagers blocked the Bedachampa-Haroa road and staged a protest by burning tyres on the road, demanding that the factory be shut down.
Image for representational purposes
New Delhi: In an unfortunate incident, at least 25 villagers, including women and children, fell ill after ammonia gas leaked from an ice factory in the Shapukur area under the Haroa police station in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. According to the reports, the incident took place on Sunday night at around 9.30 pm.
The ammonia gas leak triggered panic and chaos in the area. The affected villagers were immediately admitted to Haroa Rural Hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
Gas Spreads Across the Area
Ammonia gas suddenly began leaking from the ice factory on Sunday evening, as per the local residents. Within a short time, the gas spread to the surrounding areas. Several villagers experienced difficulty breathing after being exposed to the gas. Many people, including women and children, fell ill.
Police from Haroa police station and a fire engine reached the spot as soon as the news broke out. Efforts were made to control the gas leak, while an investigation was also launched into its cause.
Locals Stage Protest
Following the incident, local residents expressed strong anger against the factory management. Villagers blocked the Bedachampa-Haroa road and staged a protest by burning tyres on the road, demanding that the factory be shut down.
The protesters alleged that incidents of gas leaks have occurred repeatedly at the factory, putting the lives of people living in the surrounding areas at risk. Local residents have urged the administration to shut down the factory to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.
Chlorine gas leaks at water treatment plant in Nagpur
Chlorine gas leak at a water treatment plant in Nagpur shortly after midnight on Monday sent nearby residents running for safety and left many people gasping for breath, officials said.
Several people were hospitalised after the leakage occurred in a 900-kg capacity chlorine gas cylinder at the water treatment plant in Godhani village at around 1 am, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) said. The gas spread to nearby residential areas, triggering panic. Many people experienced coughing and difficulty in breathing, it said.
Police later evacuated residents within a 200 metre radius to safe locations and sealed off the affected area. Residents of nearby settlements were instructed to move away, and several people were taken to hospitals for treatment, the NMC said in a release.
After being alerted, the civic fire personnel rushed to the spot with two water tenders and breathing apparatus. Staff of the Orange City Water Pvt Ltd (OCW), which supplies drinking water in Nagpur, and a team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were also called in for assistance.
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