Late Thursday night, residents of Ambernath's Morivali MIDC, located 47 km from Mumbai, were struck by a gas leak at a chemical company, causing widespread eye irritation and breathing difficulties. The gas leak created a haze in the area around 11:15 PM, prompting residents to shut their doors and windows. The city's chief fire officer confirmed that the leak had been reduced, but concerns about air pollution remained high.
Firefighters and agencies investigating the incident found that the pharmaceutical company had been negligent, leading to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) issuing a closure notice. Shockingly, there were no staff or security guards present at the time of the incident. The gas leak was caused by a solvent that reversed from a reactor into a drum and reacted with rainwater, creating smoke-like gas that spread throughout the area. While the gas was not considered poisonous, many locals suffered from respiratory discomfort and eye irritation.
The fire brigade noted that it took more than an hour to access the site due to the absence of personnel, delaying efforts to control the leak. The initial reports indicated that the chemical involved, phosphorus oxy, had mixed with oil in the reactor and, upon contact with rainwater, led to the emission of smoke. This negligence, along with the hazardous chemicals in use, contributed to the severity of the situation.
The leak was first noticed by locals around 9 PM, and the fire brigade began searching for the source after social media alerts started circulating around 10 PM It took significant effort to trace and access the location due to the absence of staff at the company, further highlighting the company's lack of safety measures.
(With inputs from agencies)
