A concerning event involving the leakage of chlorine gas from a cylinder within the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) office campus in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, has led to the hospitalisation of a minimum of ten nursing students.
The official clarified that the incident was initially reported on Thursday but was successfully controlled at that time. Unfortunately, the leakage recurred today.
A fire department official at the scene, as per media reports, stated, "This problem began yesterday and was temporarily controlled then. The leakage has now recurred, causing difficulties in breathing and impeding people's ability to work."
The nursing students affected by the chlorine gas leak expressed their frustration with the authorities, citing a lack of immediate action taken to address the situation.
A student emphasized, "There has been an issue with the cylinder since yesterday, but significant action hasn't been taken. Suddenly, today, everyone has become ill. Everyone was aware of the situation, yet no immediate action was taken to prevent this hazardous incident."
Firefighters faced difficulties in controlling the gas leak within an hour, but eventually, they successfully brought the situation under control. Many years ago, two 100 kg cylinders filled with chlorine gas were kept at the site to supply water to the district hospital from the water pump house.
Providing details about the incident, Chief Medical Officer Ajay Verma informed the news agency, "This morning, around 11 am, the smell of gas leakage was detected, and it spread in the area. Some students from the ANM training center panicked and began experiencing nausea. Fortunately, there have been no casualties, and everyone is safe."
The cause of Friday's leakage, which led to nursing students in the nearby hostel losing consciousness, is still under investigation.
Chlorine gas is classified as a poisonous pulmonary irritant according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information in the United States. It has intermediate water solubility and can cause acute damage to the upper and lower respiratory tract. Exposure to chlorine gas can lead to symptoms such as difficulty breathing, violent cough, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, headache, chest pain, abdominal discomfort, and corneal burns.
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