MUMBAI: Nineteen workers fell ill hours after gas leaked at an industrial unit of Aarti Pharmalabs Ltd, which manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediaries, in Tarapur on Sunday afternoon. The workers were admitted to hospital after their health took a turn for the worse. This is the third gas leak in the Tarapur MIDC in a month.
Police said Sunday’s leak took place at Unit IV of Aarti Pharmalabs at around 2pm, when dimethyl sulfate was being loaded into a tanker at the facility. A liquid chemical, dimethyl sulfate is a powerful, low-cost industrial agent used to produce pharmaceuticals, dyes, agrochemicals and fabric softeners. It emits poisonous fumes, making a leak hazardous to humans.
When the leak occurred, workers stopped loading the tanker and, to prevent contamination, sprayed caustic soda and other chemicals on the affected area. After 8pm, the workers, who by then had returned home, started experiencing difficulty breathing. Their eyes started burning and they started vomiting.
All 19 workers affected by the gas leak were admitted to Life Line Hospital by the company, for treatment. Hospital authorities said on Monday that two workers have been discharged and the others are still under observation.
Within the last month, there have been gas leaks at units of two other companies in the area – Vinayak Campex and Bhageria Industries.
Assistant commissioner of police (Boisar) Vinayak Narale said, “We arrived at the hospital only after they contacted us. The process of registering an FIR has begun and we will register it by tonight,” said Narale.
