• Source:JND
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In an alarming incident, Oleum (fuming sulfuric acid) gas leaked from a chemical unit in an industrial belt in Maharashtra's Palghar district, causing widespread chaos and panic in the neighbourhood.

The effect of the gas leak was felt up to a radius of 5 km, according to a report by Jagran.com. Soon after receiving the information, authorities swung into action and started evacuation efforts.

Speaking about the gas leak, an official on Monday said that more than 2,600 people were evacuated from nearby areas after the gas leak, with some experiencing mild eye irritation.

Toxic gas leak in Palghar

The official said the toxic gas leaked from a unit of the Bhageria Chemicals company in the Boisar MIDC D-Zone area, prompting the district administration and emergency services to respond immediately. According to Dr Indu Rani Jakhar, District Collector and Chief of the District Disaster Management Authority, the incident occurred around 2 PM.

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The gas leak created a dense cloud of white fumes that spread rapidly due to wind velocity, causing panic among residents and workers in the industrial belt. The cause of the gas leak was not immediately known.

In a press release issued by the District Disaster Management Authority, Jakhar said, 'Upon receiving information about the incident, the local administration, fire brigade, police department and disaster management machinery immediately reached the spot.'

"The leakage occurred from a 2,500-litre capacity oleum day tank. Due to the wind direction, the smoke spread to surrounding areas, impacting a radius of approximately 5 kilometres," the administration stated in a press release.

As a precautionary measure, the district authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of 1,600 students from a local school, named Tarapur Vidyamandir. Along with that, over 1,000 workers from Bhageria Industries and neighbouring firms were moved to safety.

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Evacuation, dousing delayed due to thick smoke

The smoke concentration was so high that teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and the Fire Brigade initially faced hurdles in reaching the unit.

"Due to the high smoke concentration in affected areas, response teams were facing difficulties in reaching the exact location of the leak," the official release noted. According to the officials, at least three people suffered minor irritation in the eyes and are receiving medical treatment at hospitals.

(With PTI Inputs)


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