Thirteen workers were admitted to a hospital following a leak of dimethyl sulphate at a chemical manufacturing facility in Maharashtra’s Palghar district during the early hours of Sunday, according to officials.
The incident occurred around 3 am at a unit located in Boisar’s Tarapur MIDC area, said Vivekanand Kadam, chief of the District Disaster Management Cell.
Dimethyl sulphate is a clear, oily liquid with a faint onion-like smell and is known to cause skin and eye irritation, as well as chemical burns.
Kadam explained that the unit where the leak occurred is involved in the production of antioxidants. “The leak took place while dimethyl sulphate was being transferred from plant 4 to plant 10 within the unit. The fumes generated from the leak caused eye irritation among workers,” he told PTI.
As a precautionary measure due to the hazardous nature of the chemical, 13 workers were taken to hospital. Kadam added that his cell was informed about the incident at 12:35 pm.
A detailed investigation into the mishap is being carried out by SG Babban, Assistant Director of the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health. The probe will examine the safety measures in place during the chemical transfer and assess compliance with industrial safety standards.
A local fire brigade official stated that the fire department was not alerted about the incident, as the company managed the situation internally. “From what we understand, there was a chemical spill, and water was sprayed on it, which led to the formation of fumes that caused discomfort to workers,” he said.
Boisar police have also visited the site and initiated an investigation, another official confirmed.
