Over 1,000 residents evacuated after chlorine leak from tanker in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Jul 18: More than a thousand residents of Prahladnagar locality in Kheda district were asked to vacate their houses today following chlorine gas leak from a tanker belonging to the city's civic body, officials said.

"One of the three tankers parked at a water supply department's storehouse at Prahladnagar leaked, causing breathing problem to residents of nearby locality.

We ordered evacuation of around 1,200 people living in nearby residential societies as precautionary measure till the situation is brought under control," Kheda Collector Kuldeep Arya said.

"As many as 22 persons complained of breathing problem and were admitted to the government hospital. Some of them have already been discharged," Arya said. Around six fire-brigade vehicles were called in from Nadiad, Anand and Ahmedabad to control the leak, he said.

"The leaking portion of the tanker, which contained around 900 kilolitre of chlorine, was eventually sealed and chlorine that escaped in the air has subsided and settled," Arya said.

The chlorine tankers belonged to the city's civic body and it is used as a disinfectant.

PTI