Three people, including two women, were killed and nine others hospitalized after a gas leak following an explosion in a reactor at a fertilizer plant in Maharashtra’s Sangli district, an official said on Friday. The incident took place around 6.30 pm on Thursday at Myanmar Chemical Company in Shalgaon MIDC in Kadegaon tehsil of the district, he said.

Police said a reactor at the fertilizer plant exploded, releasing chemical fumes. “Due to the gas leak, approximately 12 people in the unit were injured and taken to hospital. Of them, two female workers and a security guard have died. Nine others are being processed,” said Sangram Shewale, senior inspector at Kadegaon police station.

Sangli Superintendent of Police Sandip Ghuge said the gas is suspected to be ammonia. Seven of the injured persons have been admitted to the Sahyadri Hospital in Karad and five of them are in the intensive care unit, another official said.

The two women who lost their lives have been identified as Suchita Uthale (50) of Yetgaon in Sangli district and Neelam Rethrekar (26) of Masur in Satara district, the official said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from PTI)

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