After Vizag gas leak, at least seven workers were hospitalised in Chhattisgarh’s Raigadh district after being exposed to poisonous gas while cleaning a paper mill. 

The incident happened last night while workers were cleaning the mill, which had been closed due to the lockdown and was expected to reopen soon.

Raigarh Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh said the incident took place at Shakti Paper Mill in Tetla village, where the victims were cleaning an open tank. Three of them are in critical condition, Singh added, according to ANI.

According to the mill owner Deepak Gupta, three men had gone to clean the paper pulp tank inside the mill, which was to reopen soon. “More men came in to help and all of them had to be hospitalized. Three men are being taken to Raipur, for further treatment,” he said.

Sources said that the men were affected by a carbon-heavy gas, possibly methane, which was trapped in the paper pulp tank, while cleaning.

A team of forensic experts have been sent to investigate the exact cause of the incident, Singh said, adding that a case will be registered soon.

An unidentified official told PTI that the paper mill was shut since the nationwide lockdown was enforced last month and cleaning was underway to resume operations.