Maharashtra gas leak: Toxic gas leaks at Bhiwandi in Thane; No casualty

Thane, May 02: A toxic gas leaked from some cylinders kept at an open ground and spread in nearby areas in Maharashtra's Thane district, a civic official said on Sunday.

The incident took place around 10 pm on Saturday in Bhiwandi township, but there was no report of any casualty, Thane Municipal Corporation's regional disaster management cell chief Santosh Kadam said.

Sixteen cylinders containing sulphur dioxide were kept at the ground in Chiknipada area of Khuni village in Bhiwandi. The gas leaked from two cylinders and spread in the area, he said. Local firemen and police rushed to the spot and plugged the leakage after about two hours, the official said. "No casualty has been reported so far," he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to hold a meeting on Sunday to review the human resource situation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and ways to augment it.

Accoridng to reports, the meeting comes amid reports of healthcare personnel feeling overwhelmed in some parts of the country due to the surge in the COVID-19 cases, with testing facilities also being under a strain.