At Least 6 Dead, 20 Hospitalised After Leakage of Toxic Gas Near Dyeing Factory in India's Gujarat

The leakage of toxic fumes reportedly happened due to an illegal attempt by a tanker parked near the factory to get rid of toxic chemicals.

At least six people died and 20 others were admitted to a civil hospital after toxic gas leaked from a dyeing factory in the Surat district of the Indian state of Gujarat on Thursday morning.

Surat: સચિન GIDCમાં રોડની બાજુમાં પાર્ક કરેલું કેમિકલ ભરેલું ટેન્કર લીક થતાં 5 મજૂરોના મોત

20થી વધુ મજૂરો ગૂંગળામણનો ભોગ બન્યા#Surat #GIDC pic.twitter.com/RRsJlf0ir9

— The Mailer (@themailerIndia) January 6, 2022

5 people died due to #chemical leakage at GIDC in Sachin area of #Surat, 25 workers evacuated, all admitted in the new Civil Hospital#Gujarat pic.twitter.com/cQQyhcKuco

— Anshu Singh (@Anshujourno92) January 6, 2022

#BREAKING | Unfortunate news coming from #Gujarat. Atleast 5 people have died and 25 admitted to hospital in critical condition after a chemical leakage from a filled tanker in Sachin area of GIDC (Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation) of #Surat. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/xwV8uO4eoz

— Subodh Kumar (@kumarsubodh_) January 6, 2022

Gujarat State Chief Bhupendra Patel took to Twitter and expressed his condolences on the deaths.

"Many people have died due to [a] gas leak in Surat. May God give peace to the departed souls and give strength to the family members to bear this suffering. I pray for the health of those who have fallen ill in this incident", his tweet in Gujarati stated.

સુરત ખાતે ગેસ લીક થવાથી ઘણા લોકોના દુર્ભાગ્યપૂર્ણ નિધન થયા છે. ભગવાન દિવંગત આત્માઓને શાંતિ આપે અને પરિવારના સભ્યોને આ દુઃખ સહન કરવાની શક્તિ આપે. આ ઘટનામાં જે લોકો બીમાર પડ્યા છે તેમના સ્વાસ્થ્યની કામના કરું છું.

— Bhupendra Patel (@Bhupendrapbjp) January 6, 2022

Federal Minister Harsh Sanghvi also expressed his condolences and said that "he is in contact with the police department and instructed them to look into this matter on a priority basis".

I am in continuous contact with the police department too, had a word with the police commissioner, instructed them to look into this matter at priority basis.

We stand in solidarity with the families of departed souls.

— Harsh Sanghavi (@sanghaviharsh) January 6, 2022

"At least 25 workers fell unconscious after inhaling toxic fumes from a chemical tanker parked near their factory in Sachin GIDC area. The tanker was trying to dispose of toxic chemicals illegally", Basant Pareek, head of the Chief Fire Office of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), told the Indian news agency Press Trust of India (PTI).

The fire department received a call around 4:25 a.m. And, they have managed to close the valve to close the leakage of fumes, Pareek added.