Chemical Leak At Palghar's Aarti Pharmalabs Hospitalises 17 Workers; Incident Adds To Series Of Industrial Accidents In Tarapur MIDC

Palghar, Maharashtra: A minor chemical leak incident was reported at Aarti Pharmalabs Limited located in the MIDC Tarapur industrial area of Boisar on Sunday afternoon.

Minor Leak Reported

According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred around 1:45 pm while Di-Methyl Sulphate (DMS), an industrial chemical, was being filled into a tanker in the dispatch section of the facility. During the filling process, the chemical reportedly overflowed through the tanker’s vent line, resulting in a small quantity spilling onto the ground.

The situation was brought under control immediately after the operator shut the filling valve, preventing further leakage.

Immediate Response

The plant’s safety team promptly evacuated nearby workers to a safe area and initiated neutralisation procedures. The spilled chemical was treated using lime and soda ash, and the containment process was successfully completed by approximately 2:30 PM.

However, due to the hazardous nature of DMS, fumes generated from the spill caused irritation among workers involved in the neutralisation process. Several employees reported a burning sensation in their eyes.

Precautionary Hospitalisation

Initially, the affected workers were kept under observation within the factory premises. Later, around 7:00 PM, as some continued to experience discomfort, 17 workers were admitted as a precautionary measure to Lifeline Multispeciality Hospital.

Doctors attending to the workers confirmed that there is no threat to life, and the symptoms were limited to eye irritation.

DMS is a highly toxic liquid chemical that becomes extremely dangerous when released into the air. It produces toxic fumes that can enter the body through inhalation and can cause severe damage to eyes, skin and respiratory system. DMS is often referred to as a “silent killer” because initial symptoms may appear mild although severe health effects can develop later.

Recurring Safety Crisis

This is not an isolated case. The Tarapur MIDC area has witnessed multiple industrial accidents in recent weeks, raising serious safety concerns. On March 2, a gas leak at Bhageria Industries released Oleum gas, affecting approximately 2600 people from areas within a 5 km radius, including Boisar, Khairapada, and Saravali. Other recent incidents include gas leaks at Vinayak Chemex and a major fire at Shiv Industries.

These repeated accidents have created an atmosphere of fear among workers and residents in the industrial belt.

Authorities have initiated a detailed investigation into the incident to determine the exact cause and to prevent recurrence.

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