Chlorine gas leak in Pune leaves 24 hospitalised after midnight scare

At least 24 people, including two firefighters, were taken to hospital after a chlorine gas leak in the Kondhwa area of Pune in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.

The incident occurred at around 1 am in the Gangadham locality, where gas began leaking from an abandoned chlorine tank stored in a disused water purification plant godown. The facility had reportedly been shut down some time ago, but the tank remained on site.

Residents living nearby soon reported breathing difficulties as the gas spread through the surrounding area. Emergency services were alerted, prompting a swift response from fire brigade teams, who evacuated several people from affected buildings.

Fire officials said the leak was eventually contained after crews used specialised safety equipment to seal the damaged tank. During the operation, 22 residents and two members of the fire service experienced symptoms such as breathlessness and were transported to hospital for treatment.

According to officials, all those affected are now in a stable condition and are being kept under observation at Sassoon General Hospital.

A man who had previously operated the purification plant said the unit had been dismantled, but the chlorine tank appeared to have been left unattended, eventually developing a leak.

Authorities are expected to examine how the hazardous material remained at the site and whether any lapses led to the incident.

With PTI inputs