New Delhi: A suspected gas leak across Mumbai’s western and eastern suburbs left residents in a panicked state late on Thursday, with disaster and fire control cells of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) receiving several emergency calls.
We have recieved complaints from citizens about odour of some unknown gas in eastern and western suburbs. MCGM has mobilized all concerned agencies. 9 fire engines have been mobilized at various places to find out source of leakage. For any queries, please call 1916 #MCGMUpdates
— माझी Mumbai, आपली BMC (@mybmc) September 19, 2019
The BMC said on Thursday that the odour was reported from Powai, Chembur, Mankhurd, Govandi, Chandivali, Andheri and Ghatkopar areas. The municipal corporation received around 29 complaints on its 1916 helpline about an unknown odour.
While customers of the Mahanagar Gas Limited (MGL) feared that the leak was coming from the company’s pipelines, a statement issued by the company denied it. “There is no gas leakage at Powai and the gas smell is not related to MGL gas pipelines,” a statement by MGL said.
“Our emergency teams have reached the sites from where the complaints have been received. So far, we have not come across any breach in our pipeline system which could result in leakage of gas,” the company added.
A spokesperson for the fire brigade said unknown odour was also reported from areas adjoining the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in northern suburb Borivli. Nine fire engines were sent to various places to try and find the source of the leakage, the official said.
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A BMC official said that cooking gas is mixed with a chemical that has a certain smell as it helps detect leakage. “To trace the origin of the reported gas leak, we deployed fire engines at Deonar, Mankhurd, Chembur, Vikhroli, Dindoshi, Vile Parle, Kandivali and Dahisar areas,” another official said.
“A total of 29 complaints were received by the BMC control room regarding an unknown smell, which has considerably reduced now,” he said.
Four emergency MGL vans have also been mobilised, the official said.
There were also initial fears that the leakage may be coming from the Rashtriya Chemical Fertiliser’s plant in the Chembur suburb. The BMC disaster control room has alerted the plant, which has also denied that it is the source of the leak.
According to reports, a few buildings were evacuated because some people feared the leak was in their houses or around them but could not detect the source.
(With PTI inputs)