‘Barrels carrying chemical weren’t sealed properly’

Container carrying barrels in question was headed for Sonipat; cops looking to identify party responsible

‘Norms flouted?’: The NDRF conducted a clean-up operation at the Tughlaqabad container depot on Saturday after a gas leak was reported there.

The chemical leak reported from a container in south-east Delhi’s Tughlaqabad on Saturday may have been caused due to plastic barrels that were used to store the liquefied substance not being sealed properly, the police said.

The container in question was destined for Sonipat. A team of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Delhi Police and other agencies reached Sonipat to ascertain if there had been any more leaks.

‘Leaks in 4-5 barrels’

NDRF Assistant Commandant Rajkamal Malik said, “The container had 80 barrels of 20 litres capacity each at Sonipat. Leaks were identified in four to five barrels.”

According to sources, the barrels were not sealed properly, which might have happened due to someone opening them, flouting industrial norms for chemical transportation.

Investigators, meanwhile, said it was possible that a container said to be carrying a particular item was found transporting something else and that’s why checks are conducted at the container depot.

This, said a police officer, was being looked into besides other angles being probed.

The chemical, chloromethyl pyridine, was imported from FarmaSino Pharmaceuticals in China by HIM Logistics. Between the manufacturing company and the destination, Crystal Crop Protection Company in Sonipat, there were the Customs handling agents, the Container Corporation of India Limited, the transporter, and others.

“We are collecting documents and going through the terms and conditions to identify who was responsible for safely transporting the chemical to Sonipat. We have asked all parties concerned to submit documents,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (south-east) Romil Baaniya.

475 children impacted

The Hindu also spoke to the Magistrate looking into the matter, who said the authorities were verifying the claims the parties involved had made.

Of 475 children rushed to hospitals, most of them students of Rani Jhansi School, 11 were referred to Safdarjung Hospital.

They were said to be stable on Sunday. An asthmatic girl, meanwhile, is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital.

All girls admitted to ESI Hospital have been discharged.

A case has been registered against unknown persons.