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.
After a call was received from the company regarding the incident of gas leakage, a team of GPCP was dispatched for immediate investigation.
The PI company immediately informed the GPCB and the team reached the spot. Timely intervention, however, averted major disaster in a few minutes. However, no official statement has come out from the company in this regard.
PI Industries is a pesticide manufacturing company located in Sarod village of Jambusar. Water was sprinkled by the company to control the leakage.
As per the initial details, three workers have been referred to Vadodara for further treatment due to the severe impact of the gas. The Jambusar police reached the hospital and started taking the statements of the workers. Ex-Jambusar MLA Sanjaysinh Solanki visited Jambusar Hospital to meet the workers.
