Indian officials say at least 90 people are in the hospital following a chlorine gas leak in Mumbai.
Mumbai Chief Fire Officer Uday Tatkare said the leak happened early Wednesday in the Sewri area of the city.
The leak was close to Lal Bahadur Shastri college, and many of those rushed to a nearby hospital were students.
Tatkare said most of the people developed respiratory problems. He said four firefighters who were sent to the accident sight were hospitalized.
Officials say the chlorine leaked from an old gas storage cylinder at a warehouse owned by Mumbai Port Trust.
Tatkare said safety personnel sprayed the site with water to ensure the leaked gas moves toward the sea and not closer to residential areas. However, as a precautionary measure, authorities have evacuated hundreds of people living nearby.
The chairman of the Mumbai Port Trust, Rahul Asthana, said the gas cylinder was going to be auctioned.
Safety experts are now being brought into handle dozens more cylinders that have been lying in the same warehouse for years.
