Surat chemical tanker leak kills 5, injures 25 others; Gujarat CM condoles incident

Five workers of a dyeing factory died and over a dozen others were hospitalised after they inhaled toxic fumes emanating from a chemical tanker parked nearby in Surat district of Gujarat on Thursday, officials said. The workers were sleeping inside the factory, they said. The workers were sleeping inside the factory, they said.

"Some 25 of them were rushed as they fell unconscious after inhaling toxic fumes coming out of a chemical tanker parked near their factory in Sachin GIDC area," said Basant Pareek, in-charge Chief Fire Office of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).

Pareek said the tanker was trying to dispose of toxic chemicals illegally. The fire department, which received a call regarding the incident around 4.25 am, managed to close the valve to arrest the leakage of fumes.

Gujarat CM  expresses grief over Surat chemical tank leak

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel has expressed grief over the incident and prayed for the quick recovery of those undergoing treatment.

Taking to Twitter, he wrote, "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 recovery of those who have been injured in this incident."

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla also condoled the demise of six people in the unfortunate gas leak incident in Surat. "It is unfortunate that many people died due to gas leak in Surat, Gujarat. May God give peace to the departed souls and give strength to the family members to bear this loss. I wish the well being of those who were injured in the incident," Birla tweeted in Hindi.