Palghar, March 2 A major leak of hazardous oleum gas at a chemical plant in Palghar district, Maharashtra, on Monday led to the evacuation of over 2,600 people, including 1,600 school students, while three people reported minor eye irritation, officials said.
The oleum (fuming sulfuric acid) gas leak affected areas within a five-kilometer radius of the plant in the Boisar MIDC area on the outskirts of Mumbai, prompting evacuation as a precautionary measure, they said.
The leak, which occurred around 2 pm at the Bhageria Industries Ltd plant, created a dense cloud of white fumes that rapidly spread due to wind velocity, causing panic among residents and workers in the industrial area.
The cause of the gas leak was not immediately known.
Palghar District Collector Dr. Indu Rani Jakhar, who is personally monitoring the situation, said that the disaster management plan was immediately activated.
"The leakage occurred from a 2,500-liter capacity oleum storage tank. Due to the wind direction, the fumes spread to surrounding areas, affecting a radius of approximately 5 kilometers," the administration stated in a press release.
As a precautionary measure, authorities ordered the immediate evacuation of 1,600 students from a local school, Tarapur Vidyamandir. Additionally, more than 1,000 workers from Bhageria Industries and neighboring companies were moved to safety, it informed.
Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and the Fire Brigade initially faced difficulties in reaching the plant where the gas leak occurred.
"Due to the high concentration of smoke in the affected areas, response teams were facing difficulties in reaching the exact location of the leak," the official release noted.
Chemical experts and NDRF personnel eventually located the source and entered the premises using self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA). Responders have also deployed sandbags around the leaking tank to suppress the fumes, it said.
At least three people were reported to have suffered minor eye irritation and are receiving medical treatment at hospitals, according to the officials.
District Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh, who was at the leakage site, asked the villagers not to panic as authorities were taking all possible measures to deal with the situation.
Jakhar appealed to people to stay indoors and follow instructions given by the administration.
"The situation is being constantly monitored in coordination with all concerned departments. Citizens should not believe in rumors," the collector emphasized.
