A hazardous gas leak at a chemical manufacturing plant in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district triggered widespread panic and led to multiple hospitalisations on Saturday evening. The incident occurred at a unit producing ferric sulphate located in the Jaora Industrial area.
Panic and Evacuation as Gas Spreads
According to Ratlam Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar, the leak originated from an old chlorine gas cylinder stored within the factory premises. As the toxic fumes began to spread, workers inside the facility rushed out in fear, scrambling to escape the potentially deadly exposure.
There were 10 individuals present inside the factory at the time the leak started. Of these, five workers suffered direct exposure to the chlorine gas and required immediate medical attention. All five were swiftly rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Fortunately, the condition of two of the admitted workers improved sufficiently, and they were discharged later the same day.
Swift Emergency Response
Local authorities reacted promptly to the emergency. Police and district administration teams rushed to the incident site soon after being alerted. They were joined by personnel from the Special Disaster Emergency Response Force (SDERF), who initiated rescue and containment operations.
District Collector Misha Singh and SP Amit Kumar also personally reached the spot to oversee the situation. A multi-agency response was deployed, involving police, district administration officials, volunteers from the Red Cross, and ambulance services to manage the crisis and support the affected workers.
Precautionary Shutdown of Neighbouring Units
As a precautionary measure to ensure public safety, operations in approximately 10 other factories situated near the accident site were temporarily halted. Employees working in these surrounding units were instructed to leave the premises and return to their homes to avoid any risk of secondary exposure or complications.
The quick actions by the emergency services helped prevent a larger catastrophe. The area was secured, and the leak was brought under control.
Investigation Launched into Safety Lapses
In the aftermath of the incident, authorities have initiated a thorough investigation. The probe aims to identify the specific lapses in safety protocols and maintenance that led to the failure of the ageing chlorine cylinder. Officials have stated that the investigation will determine responsibility for the incident, which could lead to actions against those found negligent.
This gas leak in Ratlam's industrial belt has once again raised serious concerns about safety standards and the handling of hazardous materials in chemical manufacturing units across the region.
