The ammonia gas leaked from Sheetal Cold Storage and quickly spread to the nearby sectors 12, 28 and 29. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police R D Shinde, the gas leakage took place at 3.30 am on Tuesday and hundreds of villagers complained of irritation, nausea and other problems.

“Immediately after the authorities were informed, the place was swarming with doctors from private hospitals as well as the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital and D Y Patil Hospital. The prompt medical attention proved beneficial for many villagers affected by the gas leak,” said Shashikant Bhoir, a resident and former corporator of Pawane village. Bhoir added that this was not the first time the cold storage has been a source of inconvenience to the people.