24 hospitalized after chlorine leak at abandoned Pune water plant
What's the story
A chlorine gas leak at a defunct water purification plant in Pune's Kondhwa area has left 24 people hospitalized. The incident took place around 1:00am on Thursday in the Gangadham locality. The leak was traced to an abandoned tank containing chlorine at the site. "Following the leak...residents in the vicinity complained of breathlessness. Upon receiving the call, fire teams were dispatched," a fire official said.
Medical intervention
Fire personnel among victims
During this operation, several citizens were evacuated, and the leaking tank was patched using safety equipment, while 22 residents and two fire personnel who complained of breathlessness were rushed to Sassoon General Hospital for treatment. Fortunately, all affected individuals are now out of danger and under observation at the hospital.
Ongoing investigation
Tank was left unattended for a long time
A man who used to operate the water purification plant said he had dismantled the unit but left behind a tank with chlorine. This tank is suspected to have been unattended for a long time and developed a leak. Authorities are now probing how this hazardous material was left unsecured and if any negligence caused the incident.