3 Killed, 9 Hospitalised After Gas Leak In Fertiliser Plant In Maharashtra's Sangli

Three people were killed by a gas leak caused by a reactor explosion in Maharashtra’s Sangli district.

Three people killed following a gas leak in fertiliser plant

Source : Pixabay

Three individuals, including two women, were killed and nine others were rushed to the hospital following a gas leak after a blast in a reactor at a fertiliser plant in Maharashtra’s Sangli district on Thursday. The incident occurred around 6:30 pm at the Myanmar Chemical Company in Shalgaon Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) of Kadegaon tehsil in the district.

According to The Times Of India, because of the gas leak, 12 people were affected and rushed to nearby hospitals. “Tragically, two women workers and a security guard succumbed to the exposure, while nine others are receiving treatment," said Sangram Shewale, Senior Inspector at Kadegaon police station.

As per a PTI report, the police said that a reactor at the plant exploded after which chemical fumes leaked.

“Due to the gas leak, some 12 people in the unit were affected and taken to hospital. Of them, two women workers and a security guard have died. Nine others are being treated,” said Sangram Shewale, senior inspector of Kadegaon police station as quoted by PTI.

Sangli Superintendent of Police Sandip Ghuge said the gas is suspected to be ammonia.

The deceased women have been identified as Suchita Uthale, 50, of Yetgaon in Sangli district and Neelam Rethrekar, 26, of Masur in Satara district. 

According to TOI, authorities started their investigation into the blast that led to a gas leak. 

Earlier this year, around 29 women, including 16 migrant labourers from Odisha, suffered from suffocation and fainted after an alleged ammonia gas leak at a private fish processing plant in the Pudoor Pandiya Puram area of Thoothukudi. The private fish processing and exporting company, which employs over 500 women from various parts of Tamil Nadu and other states, experienced a gas leak due to an alleged electrical short circuit. As a result of the issue, an ammonia gas cylinder reportedly exploded in the fish processing plant. The resultant gas spread throughout the plant leading to the exposure of workers to ammonia.