Gas leak kills one in Maharashtra (Lead, Changing dateline)

MUMBAI - An engineer working in a pharmaceutical company in Maharashtra died Tuesday following a gas leak in its manufacturing plant, police said.

The gas leak occurred on the second floor of the plant of Exon Laboratories at Mahad, some 150 km south of Mumbai, a police officer told IANS.

Assistant manager Parshuram B. Hongekar went to investigate the leak with other technicians. But the fumes proved lethal for the 38-year-old. Five labourers were injured.

“The victim hailed from Jalgaon and is survived by his wife and a son who live in the company premises,” his colleague M. Rehman said.

Senior police and pollution control department officials rushed to the plant. Exon Laboratories’ Mahad plant has operated for 21 years. The firm is engaged in bulk drugs formulations.