India, April 30 -- At least 24 people, including 22 residents and two firefighters, had to be hospitalised following a chlorine gas leak from an abandoned tank at a godown of a defunct water purification plant in Kondhwa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said.

According to fire department officials, the incident occurred at around 1 am at the godown in the Gangadham area where a tank containing chlorine had been left unattended even after the water purification plant was shut down.

According to fire brigade officials, area residents began complaining of breathlessness soon after the gas spread in the area. "Following the leak and the spread of gas, we received distress calls from the residents. Fire teams were immediately dispat...