A chlorine gas leak from an abandoned tank at a defunct water plant in Pune hospitalized 24 people with breathing difficulties. The incident in the Kondhwa area prompted emergency teams to evacuate residents and seal the leak. All affected individuals, including two firefighters, were reported to be in stable condition.
A late-night chlorine gas leak at a defunct water purification plant in Pune triggered panic in the city’s Kondhwa area after 24 people were hospitalized with breathing difficulties, officials said. The leak was traced to an abandoned chlorine tank stored inside an old godown near Gangadham around 1 am on Thursday.
According to fire department officials, the toxic gas spread quickly through the surrounding residential neighborhood, prompting emergency teams to rush to the scene. Residents nearby complained of severe breathlessness, while firefighters evacuated several people from affected buildings before sealing the leaking container using protective equipment.
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Among those admitted were 22 local residents and two fire personnel who were exposed during rescue operations. All were taken to Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital for treatment and observation. Authorities later confirmed that everyone affected was in stable condition and out of immediate danger.
Investigators believe the chlorine tank had been left behind after the water purification unit shut down. A former operator reportedly told officials the plant had been dismantled earlier, but the hazardous chemical container remained unattended and eventually developed a leak.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the handling of hazardous materials in abandoned industrial sites across urban areas. Local authorities have launched an inquiry to determine whether negligence led to the leak and whether safety rules were ignored. Officials are now reviewing similar unused facilities in Pune to prevent another potentially dangerous chemical emergency.
