Jambusar: Over 25 workers, who were taken ill due to shortness of breath after bromine gas leak from an agrochemical factory at Jambusar in Bharuch on Wednesday afternoon, were admitted to hospital. There was no report of any casualty so far but panic pervades the area over fears of health hazards through the air.
Timely intervention, however, averted major disaster in a few minutes. Sources said bromine gas leaked from the storage tank and spread across the entire factory as the sky briefly turned yellowish-red as a result of the leakage. Later, fire officials brought the leakage under control. Several patients were shifted to the referral hospital at Jambusar due to breathing problems.
Locals said the chemical continued to leak from the bromine tank for five minutes continuously sparking panic in the area and adjacent places. However, later the situation was brought under control. Around noon, the sky turned orange due to the release of gas from bromine gas storage tanks during the production process.
Employees were seen running to and fro to save their lives when yellow smoke emanated from the plant due to the leakage.