Nagpur water treatment plant chlorine leak hospitalizes dozens

A major chemical emergency occurred in the early hours of Monday, August 24, at the Maharashtra Jeevan Pradhikaran (MJP) water treatment plant in the Godhni area of Nagpur. A leak from a 900-kg chlorine gas cylinder caused toxic fumes to spread rapidly into nearby residential neighborhoods, including the Phagoji Layout.

At least 56 people were hospitalized due to the leak, with several patients requiring intensive care (ICU) for severe respiratory distress. Emergency responders, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Nagpur Municipal Corporation Fire Department, and Orange City Water (OCW) personnel, worked to contain the situation. The leak was eventually neutralized by submerging the cylinder in a tank of water mixed with caustic soda.

Authorities established a 200-meter exclusion zone and evacuated residents from the immediate vicinity. Nagpur District Collector Kumar Ashirwad has ordered a technical committee to investigate the cause of the leak. The collector also raised safety concerns regarding the storage of the hazardous cylinder in an open environment rather than a sealed, contained room.