Methane gas leaks from GAIL plant near Bhopal; no casualty

Raisen, Madhya Pradesh: Methane gas leaked from a plant of state-owned utility GAIL in Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district in the early hours of Wednesday, triggering panic in the area, officials said.

The leakage from the plant, located close to state capital Bhopal, was later plugged and there was no casualty, they said.

As a precautionary measure, traffic on the road leading to the plant was temporarily stopped and production in all industrial units in the vicinity of the gas plant was immediately closed, the officials said.

Methane is a highly flammable, colourless and odourless gas.

The incident occurred at around 2 am at the GAIL plant in Mandideep industrial town in Raisen district, located 35 km from state capital Bhopal.

Following the leakage of methane gas, the production in all units in the 200-metre periphery of GAIL's plant was immediately shut down, Sub Divisional Magistrate Chandrashekhar Shrivastava said.

As a precautionary measure, traffic on the adjoining road was also stopped, he said.

There was leakage of methane gas, which blew away in the air. There has been no loss of life, the official said.

All security arrangements were being checked. At present, production from the plant is shut, he said.

Teams of government officials have been posted there since night for security reasons. They were making comprehensive security arrangements in the GAIL plant, he said.

Mandideep Industry Association Chairman Rajiv Agrawal said there was a "level-3" gas leak in the GAIL plant.

There has been no loss of life and caution is being maintained, he said.

Experts have been examining the plant and the leaking bulb has been repaired, he added.