Garoth (Madhya Pradesh): Eight workers were hospitalised after a chlorine gas leak at Garoth Municipal Council’s water filter plant on Saturday morning. The leak caused panic, leading to evacuation of nearby schools.
The incident occurred around 9 am when the gas began leaking from an extra cylinder at the facility. The gas emission was reduced with the quick thinking of employees as they managed to submerge the leaking cylinder in a water tank using an excavator.
However, eight workers were already exposed to the toxic fumes and were rushed to Indira Gandhi Government Hospital in Garoth. The affected employees included Ankit Malvi, 26, Mahendra Malviya, 30, Rahul Ganawa, 29, Ashish Ganawa, 29, Pankaj Gwal, 26, Mangilal, 50, Vinod, 40 and Bunty, 42. The victims experienced respiratory distress, headaches, dizziness and eye irritation due to exposure to the gas.
The incident also exposed significant safety lapses in the council’s handling of hazardous materials, particularly during cold weather conditions when gas dispersion is slower. Meanwhile, council president Rajesh Sethia ordered immediate closure of the nearby educational institutions, including CM Rise School and Saraswati School, as a precautionary measure. The gas’s effects lingered for approximately two to three hours. All affected individuals have since been reported stable.
