NEW DELHI: Three people, including two women, were killed and nine others hospitalized following a gas leak following an explosion at a fertilizer factory in Sangli district on Thursday night.
The incident occurred at Myanmar Chemical Company, located in Shalgaon MIDC, Kadegaon tehsil, around 6:30 pm.
According to police officials, the explosion of a reactor at the facility led to the release of chemical fumes, believed to be ammonia. “Due to the gas leak, 12 people were affected and taken to nearby hospitals. Tragically, two women workers and a security guard succumbed to the exposure, while nine others are receiving treatment,” said Sangram Shewale, senior inspector at Kadegaon police station.
The deceased women have been identified as Suchita Uthale (50) of Yetgaon, Sangli district, and Neelam Rethrekar (26) of Masur, Satara district. Seven of the injured were admitted to the Sahyadri Hospital in Karad, with five in the intensive care unit, hospital sources said.
The district police chief, Sandip Ghuge, confirmed that ammonia was the suspected gas involved in the leak. The authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the reactor explosion and the resulting leak.