Mumbai: In startling revelations on the chlorine leak at the Bombay dock in which more than 100 people were hospitalised, CNN IBN has learnt that negligence and official apathy led to the accident.
Sources say the leaking chlorine cylinders were earlier kept inside a covered warehouse but after they started leaking they were removed from there. They have been lying in the open yard for the past few years. The cylinders were exposed to rain and rough weather, this accelerated their corrosion leading to the accident.
Water gets easily accumulated in the yard when it rains, thereby aiding the corrosion.
Over 100 people were hospitalised on Wednesday after chlorine leaked from a Mumbai port warehouse. The hostel of a nearby maritime institute had to be evacuated as the gas spread. Six people are still said to be critical.
Meanwhile, there's been another gas leak in West Bengal where methane leaked at the Durgapur steel plant, leaving 27 people ill. Eleven of them have already been treated and released from hospital but the plant has not been sealed yet.
The city police probing the leak have sought "complete details" pertaining to the cylinders from the MPT authorities.
"We have written a letter to MPT authorities seeking various details like, since when the cylinders were stored, who imported them, why they were lying uncleared. We will get complete details soon," an official at Sewree Police Station said on condition of anonymity. However, the official said they were yet to question anyone in this connection or record anyone's statement.
"It is just 24 hours since the incident happened. Now our priority is to bring everything under control. The process to dispose of the four cylinders containing gas is going on," the official said.
Deputy Police Commissioner Khalid Kaisar said Wednesday the Port Trust had been guarding the cylinders and as of now the police were not holding it responsible for the incident. Over 100 people had fallen sick yesterday when they inhaled chlorine gas which leaked from one of the imported cylinders lying in the MPT's Hay Bandar premises.
An FIR in the case was registered Wednesday against unidentified persons under IPC sections 284 (negligent conduct with respect to poisonous substance), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
(With inputs from Agencies)
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