India, March 24 -- Nineteen workers fell ill hours after gas leaked at an industrial unit of Aarti Pharmalabs Ltd, which manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediaries, in Tarapur on Sunday afternoon. The workers were admitted to hospital after their health took a turn for the worse. This is the third gas leak in the Tarapur MIDC in a month.

Police said Sunday's leak took place at Unit IV of Aarti Pharmalabs at around 2pm, when dimethyl sulfate was being loaded into a tanker at the facility. A liquid chemical, dimethyl sulfate is a powerful, low-cost industrial agent used to produce pharmaceuticals, dyes, agrochemicals and fabric softeners. It emits poisonous fumes, making a leak hazardous to humans.

When the leak occ...