Key facts
- Two people died following a gas leak at Indo Amines' manufacturing facility in Mahad, Maharashtra.
- The fatalities included an employee of Indo Amines and a worker from a neighboring industrial unit.
- The gas leak incident has been contained.
Two individuals died following a gas leak at Indo Amines' manufacturing facility in Mahad, in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. The company confirmed on Monday that the fatalities included one of its employees and a worker from a neighboring industrial unit who died during medical treatment.
The State Emergency Operations Center reported that the gas leak has been contained and the situation is under control. India has a significant number of chemical accidents, with over 1,861 Major Accident Hazard (MAH) units spread across 300 districts. Between 2021 and 2024, the country reported an average of 15-20 significant chemical accidents annually, primarily in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Over the past decade, these accidents have resulted in approximately 250 deaths and over 500 major injuries. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) account for about 60% of these mishaps, often due to less rigorous safety audits. Challenges in industrial safety include enforcement of safety audits, proximity of residential areas to industrial zones, delayed emergency response, risks associated with informal labor, and aged infrastructure.