Pune: Several people were hospitalized after inhaling chlorine gas leaked from a rusted cylinder in a swimming pool in Kasarwadi area in Maharashtra's Pune on Tuesday morning, officials said. It is learnt that around 25 swimmers who had come to the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar swimming pool in Kasarwadi early this morning had difficulty in breathing while swimming in the pool.
Sources said that the condition of 10 to 12 people worsened and they fell unconscious after suffering asphxiation caused by the chlorine gas. Soon after getting the information about the incident, the local police administration and fire brigade personnel reached the spot and immediately admitted the victims to Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital for treatment.
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A minor girl who is also among the victims has been shifted to the ICU of the hospital given her critical condition. An official said that the fire brigade officials used the breathing apparatus equipment as a first aid to save the life of the victims till they were admitted to the hospital. Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh visited the victims at the YCM hospital to inquire about their well being.
While the cause of the leakage was not officially known, reports said that the leakage was detected in a rusted cylinder. Reports quoting fire brigade officials said that the cylinder had not been replaced for some time and had developed a hole from which the chlorine gas leaked. The officials of the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation are being blamed for the gas leakage and are being accused of being negligent by not carrying out the regualr checks of the cylinders inside the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar swimming pool.
