HYDERABAD: More than 35 people, mostly children, suffered respiratory distress, coughing and throat and eye irritation after chlorine gas that leaked from a cylinder in the Hala Naka filtration plant spread in the Khursheed Town locality here on Thursday.

The plant is run by the Hyderabad Water and Sewerage Corporation (HW&SC).

It was reported that a total of 27 children and 10 adults were affected by the gas leak and were taken to the Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) for treatment of various ailments after the gas leak.

Rescue 1122 personnel rushed to the plant, capped the cylinder and neutralised effects of the gas accumulation in and around the plant.

According to Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abiden Memon, the chlorine cylinder got damaged during routine maintenance work at the plant. No serious damage was reported in the incident, he said, adding that all the affected persons recovered from the effects gas leak after a few hours.

Panic gripped the locality and the people present nearby volunteered to rush the affected men, women and children to the hospital.

According to the hospital’s RMO Dr Faisal Memon, those provided treatment included Faryal, Salar, Asima, Shazia, Farhan, Ayan, Bilal, Aiza, Uzair, Ahram, Shahbaz, Fatima, Fazal, Sobia, Yusra, Faraz, Hasnain, Aisha, Ali Hassan, Nadra, Dua and Sanaullah whereas the adults included Muzamil, Madad, Naveed, Fida Hussain, Ms Zarina, Javed and Kashif.

LUH doctors said that the patients were affected by respiratory distress, coughing and throat and eye irritation. Most of them were discharged after their condition improved.

HW&SC officials reached there and started cooling process by throwing plenty of water on the cylinder.

A cylinder with 900kg chlorine is used for purifying drinking water at the plant and since the plant was lying dysfunctional for long, the cylinder was not used.

It was said that the cylinder had been lying there for the last 30 months or so and rust might have thinned its metal body to the extent that it ruptured.

Those affected by the gas leak were residents of the localities close to the plant.

Sources in the HW&SC revealed that about 10 such cylinders were lying at different water filtration facilities of the corporation. These chlorine cylinders have remained unutilised and officials usually mix alum in water to purify it before it is supplied to consumers.

The Hyderabad DC said that these unutilised cylinders were now being moved to the SITE area. Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro and CM’s Special Assistant Abdul Jabbar Khan visited the hospital to inquire about the health of affected people.

Published in Dawn, September 27th, 2024