Punjab: Giaspura factory gas leak kills 11, including 2 kids
A gas leak at a factory in Punjab's Ludhiana on Sunday resulted in the death of 11 people, including two children and five women, while many are feared trapped inside the factory. The incident was reported from Giaspura in Ludhiana. The area has been cordoned off, and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel arrived at the site along with police and fire department teams.
Gas could have leaked from manholes
The incident was reported at around 7:15am on Sunday when the toxic gas affected residents within a 300-meter radius of the factory, and several people fell unconscious. Initial reports said the gas leaked from a block housing multiple establishments, including a cold drink store, a grocery store, and a doctor's clinic. Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik said the gas could have leaked from manholes.
Likely that some chemical reacted with methane in manholes: Officials
Residents in area move to relatives
Samples have been collected from the manholes in the area for testing if the deaths were caused by neurotoxins from the sewer. The deaths were reportedly caused by the effect of the neurotoxins on the nervous system and not by suffocation. Many residents in the area have sought shelter at their relatives' places in other parts of the city.
Three of single family dead
The two children killed in the incident were aged nine and 12. Three members of a family died in the incident, while two others were hospitalized. The deceased were identified as Saurav Goyal (28), his wife Triti, and his mother. Goyal's eight-month-old kid and elder brother Gaurav were also affected by the gas. While the child is out of danger, Gaurav is still critical.
